embers of guyana- 13 poems · embers of guyana, hopes and dreams glowing brightly with flickering...
TRANSCRIPT
EMBERS OF GUYANA-
13 POEMS
By Dmitri Allicock
EMBERS OF GUYANA
Fan those embers burning bright
Keep them glowing as you might
Storms hover and wind may blow
Ride that journey of high and low
Positive of thoughts to stir the fire
Aim for the stars to fuel that desire
Treat another with respect and care
Reach within for a breath of fresh air
Let your radiance shines from inside
And actions speak louder with pride
Embers of Guyana, hopes and dreams
Glowing brightly with flickering beams
REBEL WOMAN
Whispers of forest‟s rhythm changes
Echoes afar beyond mountain ranges
A time to decide who does the hoeing
Cooking, the washing, and the growing
She too want some arrows and a bow
To pull its string and let the arrow go
A change in the traditions of long ago
Rebel woman with an arrow and bow
TUBERS OF CASSAVA
Rich and deep brown organic soil
Heat of shining sun and humid toil
Root of the cassava and bushy plot
Juice of the bitter one for pepperpot
Sweet one makes the appetizing pone
The delicious dessert that stands alone
Cassava bread and squeezing Matapee
Boil cassava for soup and metamgee
Cassava balls and a drink called sarawi
Or alcoholic beverage called parikari
Plant sticks of cassava so easy to grow
And reap the tubers of cassava to show
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CASSAVA LOVE
PASS THE FOO- FOO
Plantains, eddoes or yam will crush
Making foo- foo and no need to rush
Boil the plantain or ground provision
Choka or foo-foo, make your decision
Foo- Foo with salt fish and dumplings
Plus some eddoes or yam for sampling
Placed in mortar before pounding start
Crush to soft foo-foo of Guyana‟s heart
Scoop with spoon and place on a plate
Pass the foo-foo because belly can‟t wait
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GUYANESE MORTAR AND STICK
WHISTLE OF THE TAPIR
(Tapirus terrestris)
Along Guyana‟s river edges and swamps
A nervous Bush Cow snorts, then stamps
Alert ears listen and sensitive nose smells
Pristine jungle where this shy animal dwells
Vegetarian with stiff mane on head & back
Toes and webbed feet in soft muddy track
With a piercing whistle that deafens the air
Tapir trigger the alarm of a king Jaguar near
Like the snap of a twig, he bolts for the bush
Melting away into the forest to save his tush
CALLS OF THE POWIS
(Crax alector)
Calls of Guyana‟s glossy black game bird
Morning low booming like sounds heard
“Umm um…umm um” or alarming clicks
Forages in pairs or with groups of chicks
Painted yellow- billed & ruffled hair style
Searching for fruits and seeds in the wild
Likes to walk but fly in hops and swoops,
To escape from the weapons that shoots
Handsome flight feathers to fletch arrows
Good eating and delicious to the marrow
Still plentiful in Guyana and surviving well
In undisturbed forest where shy bird dwells
MY VERSATILE CUTLASS
I use my cutlass to weed the farm
To plant cassava, or to peel a yam
For coconut or to slash sugarcane
And for cutting grass in the drains
For chopping beef and scaling fish
Killing chicken for a Guyanese dish
Relic of ancient times & buccaneer
Sword of history used to instill fear
A good weapon to chase thief man
My faithful twenty two clasp in hand
Guyana‟s popular and efficient tool
Where Versatile Cutlass King Rules
MY SUMPTUOUS HAMMOCK
Between two poles I‟d prefer to swing
Laying suspended in a homemade sling
Supported between heaven and earth
Balancing the things that give us worth
A place of relief and pleasurable breeze
Hearing the kids and birds in the trees
A rendezvous for tired body and mind
Stolen moments in a hammock so kind
NECTAR DANCE
Sumptuous nectar of an engulfing bloom
Excitedly attracted with a buzzing zoom
Sweet flavor that drives bees to the brink
Fragrant petal welcomes a heavenly drink
Ready and waiting stamen of spores laden
Trading honey for hibiscus flower maiden
Nectar and dance of life- right in the open
Fertility of rebirth and our existence woven
IN MEMORY OF MY DEAR-FATHER-STANLEY
ALLICOCK WHO PASSED AWAY JAN. 6, 2000.
UNTIL WE MEET
15 year gone, and I‟ll always miss you
The times when the sun shined through
Your smile, laughter, values so strong
Your voice and harmony of your song
A Demerara River man of precious heart
Whispers of a love that will never part
Precious memories of my Dad to keep
I will love you forever until we meet
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My dear father at 24 years old
TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORN
I knew a mean bull called „Smoking Gun‟
Just one look of him will make you run
As a youngster of six I watched him graze
Temperamental he was with head raised
I couldn‟t get to the fruits in the pasture
For he was so aggressive and much faster
He then charged and I had nowhere to run
Luckily my Uncle Alan stood his ground
Grabbed him by his neck and lead him away
Taught me a good lesson of life here to stay
To be proactive, be brave and to take charge
To handle the ups and downs, small or large
Needless to say, I suffered from no heartache
When that bull was taken and made into steak
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UNCLE ALAN ALLICOCK [Nov. 14, 1918 -1967]
ONE TIP! TWO TIP!
Cricket! Oh sweet street cricket
Wood from crate for the wicket
Wait a second I „m not yet ready
Don‟t bowl yet until I am steady
Hold that cork or soft white ball
One tip! Two tip! Game will call
If you hit me by bowling too fast
I will strike you for six with a blast
Hit the ball hard and quickly run
Run fast before your turn is done
STAND TALL
Life is not easy and you may fall
But the glory is in standing tall.
There will be countless mistakes
And many kinds of heartaches,
Lost & sadness to make you cry
Unanswered questions of why
Rise with smile before it‟s done
Stand tall and reach for the sun
END