I Observe

 

 

I Observe…

There is only one candidate

In the St. George North race,

Whether deliberate or happenstance

This is a national disgrace.

 

I Observe…

That a particular candidate

Represents the Red team,

Whether on purpose or by accident

That is not a just scheme.

 

I Know…

There are more than one candidate

But that is all that I see

When I watch the news telecast

On our local CBC.

 

Where are the other candidates?

Are they really serious?

Or is it that a house-to-house strategy

Is their major purpose?

 

I Observe…

The first ten minutes of the CBC news

Was really about electioneering,

The speakers all spoke from a platform-

They were clearly campaigning.

 

I Observed…

The news was Government business

And about what they are planning,

And the fact that some of these things

They were already implementing.

 

There is nothing wrong with this

As far as I am concerned,

Only the fact that it was revealed

From a certain political platform.

 

  

I Observe…

The name of a certain candidate

Stares me in the face,

There is no doubt in my mind

This one is out front in this race.

 

Where are the other parties?

I have heard none of them comment,

Certainly not on the CBC

And this is my lament.

 

I Suspect…

There will be more of this candidate

As polling day draws nearer,

The fact of this unfair advantage

Will also become much clearer.

 

I Observe…

Concerning the televised debate

Some candidates have complained

That they were not properly informed

And that is unjust, they maintain.

 

I hope that this contention

Is not that they are camera shy

But that regardless of the mounting odds

They will not let this pass by.

 

 

There was an interesting response;

I heard it from the PM:

If they are afraid of televised debates

Parliament will pose a problem.

 

My observations are not necessarily yours

But they simply are what I see,

Don’t be offended I sincerely request,

They need not come between you and me.

 

I Observe…

That these are intriguing times

But certainly not for the fainthearted,

With that in mind, it is time I go

Before I join the dearly departed.

 

Have a good day whether “B” or “D”,

PdP, Solutions Barbados or UPP,

The most that I could wish for all of you

Is that you compete successfully.

 

Stewart Russell © October 10, 2020

 

For the Country’s Sake

I am not a fan 

But we’re in a jam

Let’s give her a break 

For the country’s sake

My party messed up

Hence this bitter cup

So give her a break

For the country’s sake

She promised stuff

But things real rough

We must give her a break 

For the country’s sake

Whether DLP or UPP

Or any other party

Please give her a break

For the country’s sake

You called for a change

It was so arranged

So give her a break

For the country’s sake

The people spoke

By the “X” they wrote

Let’s give her a break 

For the country’s sake

The DLP had ten years

The BLP now appear

Give her a break

For the country’s sake

I had to frown

DLP get back their tongue

But give her a break

For the country’s sake

Now they can tell

All is not well

But give her a break

For the country’s sake

  

Those who know me

Know I am a “D”

But give her a break

For the country’s sake

It is only fair

If we really care

To give her a break

For the country’s sake

Adopt a good spirit

Make it a habit

And give her a break 

For the country’s sake

Let’s see what she can do

Might not be your view

But give her a break

For the country’s sake

Public workers get a bit

They were promised it

Give her a break

For the country’s sake

Some pensioners too

So don’t be blue

Give her a break

For the country’s sake

She took the broadside

Of a DLP campaign

Now give her a break 

For the country’s sake

The “D’s” had fun

Now they are glum

But give her a break

For the country’s sake

Whether “D’s" or “B’s

We’re all bajans

Let’s give her a break

For the country’s sake

Some questioned

The one-man opposition

But give him a break

For the country’s sake

Let’s trust in God

All praise to Him laud

And give her a break

For the country’s sake

And as we do

To our country be true

But give her a break

For the country’s sake

All hands on deck

Now give her the respect

And for the country’s sake

Please give her a break

Stewart Russell © June 2018 

Let Us Move On

 

The people have spoken

Let us move on

Time for the work

There’s much to be done

There have been losers

There have been winners

But both together 

Can ensure the hope that glimmers

A light in the distance

Beckons to us

Let us move on

With renewed thrust

Divided for a while

For the party’s cause

Now as we go forward 

Put that on pause

Three weeks of canvassing

Doing the political stuff

Now let Barbados our country

Be our focus

Let us move on

Together as one

Let us grab this opportunity

Walking into the new dawn

For at the end of the day

We are really all “B’s”

That is “B” for Barbados

As we all ought to be

The voting may have varied

But the cause is the same

I expect your vote was given 

In our country’s name

So whether of “B” or “D”

Solutions Barbados or UPP

Let us join hands together

And support our great country

  

The fallout at this moment

Was only meant for a while

Let’s gather our wits about us 

And move on with a smile

Cognizant of the fact

That Barbadians all are we

And to achieve the common goal

Requires there be unity

We can rise from the ashes

In true bajan style

And with focused resilience

Cut down the miles

The objective before us 

May appear far and long

But like sticks in a bundle

We all can be strong

 With God in our hearts

And with guidance from above

We can march to the challenge

All in one love

There may be damaged pride

That’s nothing new

Let us put that behind us

And see Barbados through

No time for gloating

That is immature

Scorning a fellow Barbadian

Is courting failure for sure

Learning the lessons

We can take from the past

And like true Barbadians

Bend our backs to the task

The task of rebuilding

Anything that’s been razed

Means viewing the present reality

As a temporary phase

Not living in the past

But utilizing the present

In the best way possible

To signal positive intent

Not just empty rhetoric

But in behavior befitting our age

Let us move on my brothers and sisters

Showing we are on the same page

Stewart Russell © May 2018