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