A woman of Roseau

Hi friends

it's been a while since i actively blogged... to be honest, i've been focusing more on my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DelroyNesta) but i've got some new stuff that i am working on, some of which i will also share here... This is a new poem (wrote it last night), inspired by an image I saw as I was driving through the streets of Roseau after i came from a poetry show (Lyrics Under The Stars):

A woman of Roseau
By Delroy Nesta Williams

I'm sorry but there's nothing innocent
About a woman walking through Roseau's streets at 2:00am
With the confidence of sanitary napkins in her steps
Because her bank account is just a little more swollen than the belly of her teenage daughter
Who's about to make her a grandmother
She got paid for that transaction
And even got a little extra
To spread her own legs
It's bad enough she sold her child
Now she's also riding shotgun at the molester's side
Tomorrow she can afford to cook all her children Sunday lunch
And even have extra to cover supper.
As her high heels hit the pavement
Rhythmic like a Triple Kay drum set
You realize there's another story behind her swinging assets
One of a woman fooled by men that she loved
As one by one they promised her the world
But one by one, the left... Leaving only remnants of their presence
A gift of some sorts that continues to give back
Because now instead of one generation
Her tiny, almost broken down shack
Houses children, grandchildren and even boyfriends
You look into her eyes and you see a lifetime of hurt and pain
A woman stained like the clothes of a farmer who toils the soil planting bananas and plantain
But the cargo boats are long gone
And her fruits are still on the port
Bathing in the hot, dry sun
A consignment of rejects
Dropouts of schools and fired from jobs
Because they've got no qualifications
So this woman has the Earth and Mars to shoulder
And I can only guess how she makes it from one day to another
But her midnight walk only gives us a clue
As to why this woman doesn't sleep when we do
Why she plies her trade when the owls howls
And only the barking dogs and crowing cocks summon the sunrise
If you look closely you will see the fear in her eyes
Because her offspring may just pick up her calling
They're already mimicking her tendencies
Being fooled by the first dude who speaks of love
It's a vicious cycle that won't be stopped
Because a child can't raise a child to be a woman
That mathematics doesn't add up
So she just adapts
And the children just adopt
Because to her it has become second nature
But now it's 3:00am
And she's home
But she can't go to bed
She's got so many things running through her head
Got to cook, clean and basically do everything
Be the man, woman and sometimes even the child
A household running wild
And it's so sad to know
That this shit is happening right next door!

the Roseau Youth Centre Declaration... the ORANGE DAY SYMPOSIUM

If you're a follower of my blog then you would know that i am a big proponent of ORANGE DAY and also write a lot about various issues and particular, Domestic Violence and Abuse. Over the past few months we have raised awareness, on and around the 25th day of every month, about these two issues and today came the closure of this round of activities. We ended with a youth symposium on "The Role of Youth in Curbing Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women and Young Girls. A number of issues were raised at the symposium and statements made but principle among them was the declaration, which showed the intent of the youth present to work towards curbing the issue of domestic violence and all forms of violence. 

This is a copy (photo) of the Declaration that was signed (my signature is there too, somewhere) by young people in Dominica as it relates to "the role of youth in curbing domestic violence and violence against women and girls...

Also find below a copy of the Agenda (my name is there somewhere) of the day's proceedings which was organized by the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Mr Dalton Maronie and Miss Natasha Jervier, in collaboration with the Youth Development Division of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

Hats off to them on a very successful initiative as this augers well for our youth, especially if given the opportunity to implement the number of activities/initiatives that were suggested during the day's proceedings.

We also had a special/secret visit by the Secretary General of CARICOM, Mr. Irwin Larocque, who just happened to be in his homeland Dominica during that period and stopped by to discuss with the young people. It was a welcomed surprise.

Break the Silence - help our children

Break the Silence
By Delroy Nesta Williams

You commit murder when you keep silent
Every time you see injustice and don’t speak
When you know that your little girl
Is forced to rock on a grown man’s cock
But you turn a blind eye
And pretend not to see
Because the man brings in the pay check
And pays for your hair and your nails
So instead you pave the way to your daughter’s grave
When you pretend to not hear the screams
Or notice that every night he leaves your bed
And goes into the next bedroom instead
You know what’s going on
But you prefer to play dumb
You’re just perpetuating the crime
Adding grime to the slime
Just because you think you can’t get another man
So you give him the upper hand
Even if it means that your flesh and blood
Is covered in his stench and her own blood
Because he forced her hymen,
Her body isn’t prepared for the private parts of grown men.
But you gotta have the fancy dresses
And flaunt to all your family and friends
While your daughter rots inside
Her soul fading away to its end
You’re just as guilty as the man
How can you look into his eyes
Tell yourself that you love him
And allow him to rape your kin
So while he stains the youthful days of your child
You add insult to injury
How do you look into her eyes
And not see the pain
How can you see her soul
And not recognize the stains
That his filthy touch has left
If you won’t protect yourself
At least protect your blood
How can you allow this go on?
This isn’t what was meant
By turning the other cheek
Ordering your daughter to be submissive and meek
So you commit the murder of your very own daughter
Killing her soul by the minute and the hour
Death isn’t only when breath leaves your corpse
Death is when you turn a blind eye
And show the one you should love
That her peace of mind, you sold and he bought…