From Whence the Guns

 

From whence the guns

That spill the life blood

Of the many youths of our country

In our neighbourhood?

 

Why such a mystery

Guarded with hushed tone

Spreading death across the land

From zone to zone?

 

How did we get here

Given the lot o’ talk

Mouthed by the elected authority

But lacking the walk?

 

Are there untouchables

That cannot be touched

Or are English speaking politicians

Talking Dutch?

 

 

From whence the guns

And via whom I ask,

Is the attempt to thwart police

An assigned task?

 

Is “If you see something

Say something”

To be taken seriously

Or is it just another saying?

 

Is it to make the vulnerable

Even more vulnerable

And get the same said vulnerable

Into more trouble?

 

And when I see something

And then say something,

Are those charged with doing something

Going to do anything?

 

 

I have become a skeptic

And I will tell you why:

That there is little being done

I cannot deny.

 

Many be the barking dogs

Which are chained

That are repeating the same bark

Again, and again!

 

Somebody has to know

From whence come the guns

And I don’t mean who import them-

Please don’t make fun.

 

 

Who will spot the light

On the source of this crime

And follow the advice of a calypso

About where to shine?

 

From whence the guns?

Come they not from somewhere

Or else, tell me my dear Watson,

How would they get here?

 

And by whom the guns?

Come they not by someone

Or can you tell me my dear Watson,

Are the importers gone?

 

Gone from here abouts

That they cannot be found

Or are our investigators made to look

Like bungling clowns?

 

Hats off to each calypsonian

Who, with social commentary,

Was not afraid to speak to the ills

In this country.

 

Will the authorities

Now take the lead from them

And most assiduously and fearlessly

Deal with the gun problem?

 

 

And don’t dare mention tint

Or intercepting people’s calls,

For this is a horribly failed attempt

To make fools of us all.

 

Stewart Russell © August 10, 2025

 

Three Facts Worth Considering

 

 

"I came with nothing

Fell for something

And leave with everything"

 

What grabs your mind as you read the above?

I will tell you what grabs mine.

I see a beginning and a journey that follows

And it’s not just a mere passing of time.

 

I came with nothing, that’s how we all came

We came naked in to this world.

Defenseless, vulnerable and dependent

But to our mothers an adorable pearl.

 

Through many stages we have come

According to the Shakespearian model,

Blundering, stumbling and sometimes falling

With many a joy but so too the trouble.

 

“Man that is born of a woman,” so said Job,

“Is of a few days and full of trouble.”

No wonder the heights to which we climb

Are like the proverbial bubble.

 

We fall for many a trick and ruse

Self-fulfillment the order of the day,

We search and search for that pearl in the clam

 Near it appears yet still at bay.

 

Such was my experience as I journeyed along

Falling for much that didn’t matter,

Bemused, mystified and gullible as ever

Led astray by rhetoric and empty chatter.

 

 

At the end of my tether I fell for something

That has meant the world to me,

The love of Christ now fills my heart

Like a bird on the wing I now am free.

 

Having arrived I am destined to leave,

This life will not last forever,

But when I leave I will have everything

For I have found the greatest treasure.

 

I now have Christ, my Saviour and Lord

He’s the treasure I can never lose,

While with nothing I came, I fell for something

And hence I leave with everything.

 

Stewart Russell © February 2020

 

 

For My Sister’s Sake

Today is a beautiful day

And I have an announcement to make,

It goes out to all of my readers

Please read it for my sister’s sake.

I know you are puzzled by this

And if she knew she would be livid,

But I thank God more than ever

So far, she has defeated COVID.

But she is now one of the vulnerable;

She qualifies today for sure,

Draw an inference from what I have said;

Do I need to tell you more?

If you still do not understand

It is time to give you another clue,

She has been around for a long time

And she looks much better than I do.

 

If she were born thirty years before

She would be celebrating one hundred,

Now I gone and tell out she age

Tomorrow I could wake up dead.

As is expressed in Psalm 90 verse 10

Seven decades is the biblical amount

But by reason of her obvious strength

I am sure she’ll add to this account.

Of course…

None us knows about tomorrow

But we’ll put that in the Master’s hand,

And as you do please put my sister too

As she continues to follow in His plan.

By now I know that you know

My sister is seventy years young today

And to celebrate that milestone with her

Is really what I wanted to say.

Happy birthday my loving sister!

This comes from the entire family,

God has kept you in wonderful shape

Even on reaching seventy.

You are definitely our favourite sister;

Nilan, Mac and Carl agree,

And to have lived to celebrate with you

We know that makes you very happy.

Facebook family and all others:

Please send a birthday greeting to Harriet,

And do understand as you grant my wish

Many of you have not reached there yet.

Your time will come if you live long enough

And you will want us to celebrate,

So, now you have heard my announcement

Please do it for my sister’s sake.

For this we would normally be gatherin’

But COVID has had other ideas,

However, there is absolutely no reason

Why we can’t wish her a Happy Birthday.

  

So Happy Birthday to you, Harriet

On reaching your seventieth milestone,

And may God continue to richly bless you

Throughout this day and beyond.

Stewart Russell © 26^th June 2020