Stand with Linden

I stand with Linden

Just in case you're wondering, Linden is a community in Guyana. It was touched by acts of police shooting amidst a community demonstration due to high electricity bills (Google: Linden, Guyana police shooting incident for more information) which left a few people dead. But one person dead is already too many dead especially in a situation that could have been avoided.

My stance is one of solidarity as it relates to the right to peacefully demonstrate against social ills and injustice.

My brethren and sistren of Linden, I STAND WITH AND FOR YOU...

Michael Xavier feature

Every now and then I feature a poem by someone other than myself. I do it for various reasons. I might know the person, the poem might have been an inspiration to me or just because it got my attention...

This time around I am featuring a poem by Michael Xavier whom I met during the Commonwealth Caribbean Youth Leaders Summit when I was still the President of the National Youth Council of Dominica. He is actually from Guyana and is a very talented person but never knew he was a writer. In fact, I know him as a field hockey player, although I must admit I have never seen him play but he must be good because he is on the Guyana Team.

To get back into the poem now, he sent me a love poem to get my opinion and then sent me the featured poem as a second example of his writing but what was to ensue would surprise even me. We started to freestyle (all this in a Blackberry group with other friends from across the Caribbean) and we just vibed for what seemed to be like almost an hour or even longer. He calls me the Boss of Poetry but i'm telling you he impressed me with his skill and wordplay as well...

He calls the poem Contradiction by that too is a contradiction as i prefer to just call it Untitled as I personally feel the title doesn't go the piece justice... well enough of my rambling now, enjoy the piece and feel free to suggest a title if it evokes one from you:

Contradiction

Blackened skies the place is cold
Saddened cries there's no one here to hold
Droplets of rain fall like tears from my eyes
Like our love washing away from all the lies
You stop, stare and breathe for a while
But there is no hint of happiness no reason to smile
For a love once had is now lost
All disappeared at an unworthy cost
Unbearable it seems, this pain I never felt
My heart grew heavy on my knees I knelt
Wishing and hoping all for a better day
Face buried in my hands, only realizing there is no other way
For no matter how hard I try or loud I shout
This time its over, our fire is out
Happiness blooms like flowers in the spring
A fire kindles like an infant bird stretching its wing
Blue skies reveal smiles that warm the heart
Like a symphony orchestra each performing brilliantly their part
In such a way that brings peace to mind
Like our love, it’s one of a kind
It’s together forever, to never be alone
A love found, it is cast in stone
To brave the storms and endure the cold
Never on your own, my hands to forever hold
And I’ll have it no other way; it will all be for you
It’ll be like a fairy tale ending, but for us, it’s true.

And before I end this note, here is a piece of my freestyle poetry in the Blackberry group (I was asking the other members of the group to join in):

Where's Jason and Ato?
I'm waiting on them to join in
If I wait to long my words will start spoiling
Are they in their rooms hiding?
In fear, that they won't be able to keep up
This isn't a competition
Just a chance to speak up
So raise your voice
Make the right choice
Join in singing the chorus
or just write a verse or two...
If your name is Jacque then add your heavenly touch
we expect very little or so very much
I would like Feno to add her ten cents,
When she speaks she awakes my every sense
Where's Bella? the one I want to meet
She's always in here, I hope she joins this track meet
Run the mile, keep hope alive
Who have I forgotten, I hope no one
because we will need all the manpower to sing this song
This anthem most be heard, in the nooks and crannies
Spread the word to the youth, grandpas and grannies
Spread the word to all and sundry
But please do it cheaply
Because the youth aint got much money, lol
and the rest as they say it, is history

The Long Road to Guyana

I've always been told to expect the unexpected when travelling but that is especially true when travelling through the Caribbean. Time and time again, i've learnt valuable lessons and time and time again, i fail to remember those lessons when i set off on a new journey.

This time i guess it was my fault, well kind of my fault. I left Dominica on Tuesday morning at 4:00 am, well actually i left my home for the airport at that time thinking that i had the first flight out of Dominica for Guyana taking connecting flights in Antigua and Barbados. When i arrived at the airport i was told that i was on a later flight at 10:50 but more to my surprise was the fact that my flight itinerary ended in Barbados and there was no continuation to Guyana, lol.

You can as well imagine the panic that overtook me, i started calling people all over the place in Barbados, Washington and Guyana. Well after about 45 minutes of calling and panic, they finally figured out that i had the wrong itinerary in hands and that i had to change airlines in Barbados from LIAT to Caribbean Airlines. Off course, with LIAT computer system down, they were unable to inform me of this, how convenient eh.

Anyways, that was the least of my experience. Now i find myself going from Dominica to St. Lucia, where i spent about 3 hours trying to catch up on some sleep on the most uncomfortable of chairs. Then on to Barbados, where the real twist occurs in this story. I had dinner with a traveling buddy (not a female). He is attending the same function in Guyana.

Our flight was at 7:50, so we had some time to kill so we walked around the airport admiring the workers, the females, etc. There was this particular hindi young lady who kept eyeing me, or i felt she kept eyeing me under all that facial covering. It was quickly approaching 7:00 pm so i cleared immigration to make it to the waiting area. After seating for about an hour and realizing that the plane was late, i decided to go online on my laptop to chat to a few friends to kill more time.

As soon as i put on the damn thing and started to chat here comes this announcement via the Public Announce System. Caribbean Airlines apologizies for the late arrival of flight ..... and we would appreciate it if all the passengers who are to board the flight approach the desk for more information, now you know that doesn't sound good.

We were informed that the airline was going to provide us with dinner and put us up in Golden Sands hotel until 3:00 a.m. But why 3:00 a.m., turns out that is when the next flight to Guyana is so we were whisked off to the hotel and before i could get any rest i was back at the airport in a long line waiting to get to Guyana. At least this time the flight departed and right now i can say i'm in Guyana (see view from hotel room).

Oh i will be returning to Dominica on Friday, i do hope the journey back is less taxing on me.

Nest@