Poems

Jamaica Land; Music People

Sound systems are in our birth canals

Loving hard is in our brains

Riddim beats in our DNA

So we know, Stone Love is in our veins

It's impossible to be a Jamaican

And not have music in your blood

We are all the offspring of Marley

We are all the children of One Love

And Jah Jah gave us mento

He gave the ska beat to have as meat

Then he gave rocksteady, reggae, dancehall

And said, "Children of Jah-Mek-Yah, eat!"

Then 'Blessed Land' spread its rainbow

And gave hip-hop to the world

And out of every garrison

Springs self-worth that nourishes Earth

I will never forget 2005

When Jah Cure sang Longing For

"If it's a battle, I'll fight for you"

Had me banging down the door

And I still get determined

When The Harder they Come

Starts to play

And every time I hear

Turn Your Lights Down Low

Delight springs fresh blooms

In May

Jah Jah Land will continue

To create more music

And give it to the world

But till next time

I'll cut the umbilical cord

Of another Boom Box Baby

Freshly born to a Jamaican world.

- Lisa Gaye Taylor

-

Jamaica, No Problem

Jamaica, no problem

When violence and crime are escalating

Jamaica, no problem

When human trafficking is on the rise

No problem when children are gone missing

Jamaica, no problem

Let us build a better society for our children

They are the era of a new generation

What they become is what we instil in them

When they smile, the whole world smiles

When they smile, the sun shines

When they cry, raindrops come rumbling

Jamaica, no problem

The eyes of Yahweh is watching

No problem, a new day is dawning

- Winsome McKay

-

A sonnet: Tribute to Trump

There is something deeply

to admire about Trump

A mirror perhaps

of our deeper "alter" (pun intended) ego

hidden self more

manifestly revealed

in that Person

but nevertheless

the very substance of ourselves

who declare who

will sit at our tables

drink at our fountains

and be Holy with ...

Alleluia, lets all erect new walls!

- Helen-Ann Elizabeth