TREKKING THRU

GUYANA

2I POEMS

By Dmitri Allicock

BAREFOOT ON THE TRAIL

Some shoes? He may have a pair

But prefers to walk the trail bare

From sunrise until homeward bound

Guyanese barefoot Bushmen are found

Walking with grace, his feet bare

And stepping on the wild with care

A direct feel for the Earth and its free

The tough sole of his feet, is the key

He is at his best on a slippery log

Crossing a stream or navigating a bog

He walks quieter without a pair of shoes

So it is barefoot on the trail, he chooses.

PEACE OF MIND

Sometimes the narrow path reveals no end in sight,

You travel hard and deep into the light.

You look for signs but signs cannot be found,

You steer off course, you must turn around.

The journey to peace is indeed yours to find

Path of safety that leads to love and peace of mind.

WE SHALL GATHER

We shall gather this day

And feel the river’s spray

We will never yearn for more

And we will gather by the shore

We shall gather at nature’s grace

Of peace dwelling place

We shall listen to the heartbeat of serenity

Feel the soothing redolent of life’s eternity

On the crystal tide, we will float

And we will gather our boats

Where time knows no number

And souls may dance or slumber.

DOWN BY THE RIVER [Visiting my Blount Cousins at Old England in the 1990s-

Upper Demerara]

I will never forget those things that I use to know

Down by the river and now only a picture to show

Boats with family and friends, watching them go

A chapter of the sweet Demerara tides, as it flow

Life in the sunshine but also goodbyes and death

Down by that river where I drew my first breath

Lonesome teenage days but here, I found my wife

The story of the river shore, I am thankful for life

Running, playing, fishing, and the chores of a kid

Stories of daylight & nightfall, those things we did

As I watch this river, I often wonder what it knows

A river of history, nature and life, as it gently goes

Some says life is today & yesterday is forever gone

But our thoughts, emotions, and dreams are spawn,

Growing from the seeds and memories of yesterday,

And the tides of river will flow within, along its way.

UP THE ROAD [Republic Ave [Arvida Rd. Mackenzie- Linden]

I walked this road, many times before

And I was blessed to do so once more

I was amazed at changes along the way

My so precious Arvida back in the day

I tried to remember the different places

An older generation gone, and new faces

The school, town square & cinema of mine

Mackenzie of Upper Demerara back in time

A breezy day in January of 2016, my friend

And the footsteps of a journey without an end.

SUPERSTARS OF A SCHOOL GARDEN

Circa 1973- MHS, Linden, Guyana.

Long ago, and, Oh, so far away

In the Mackenzie High School’s sway

It was our garden of the sun and rain

Faces of friends and teachers, comes again

Long ago, and, Oh, so far away

It was Principal Mr. MacDonald, in the ray

Our teacher, Miss Springer, twas 1973, the year

Children of this garden, my memories are clear

Long ago, and, Oh, so far away

Beneath Mackenzie blue skies, we played

It was bora, cucumbers and much more in the sun

Within the garden of our school, it was great fun

Long ago, and, Oh, so far away

The joys, the dreams of hope, will stay

Superstars, in this lovely garden of fresh

The memories, back again, and were the best.

MEMORIES MY CLASSMATES

[MHS 1973- L to R- Trevor Deane, Joseph Mackenzie,

Myself, Abid Ali, Floyd Dodson [the late], and stooping

is Godfrey Richmond.

Linden, Guyana].

When the gate of memories swings

I step into a garden of golden things

The dear gate which opens my heart

Revealing images that will never part

The golden gate that invites me in

The treasures of yesterday living within

Just a moment of time in its rhythmic dance

Faces of friends caught in its rapture by chance

Into that garden I still wander to and fro

Remembering golden friends I use to know

Sometimes I close my eyes and see them there

Feel their presence in the garden we once again share.

COCONUT BRANCH CRICKET

Over the green hills and very far away

A simple coconut branch made his day

A quickly carved cricket bat for a boy

Once upon a childhood ball-field of joy

A bat from the amazing coconut tree

Dreaming of stars that he wanted to be

A cutlass and a coconut branch was all

And he was ready and able to play ball

He headed proudly out of his front gate

Ready to wallop that cricket ball straight

Waited on his turn and each ball he struck

And praying he wasn’t bowled for a duck.

THE FOWLCOCK KING

The country- life is sweet they say

The air is clean on a bight sunny day

Songbirds and the trees are the blend

No greater gift could Mother Nature send

Away from the noise of the city and the strife

The fresh fruits in the trees is the life

Some may look at it as being dull

But it is blessed with simplicity and lull

I’d prefer to be awaken by a fowlcock king

The trademark of the countryside thing

So give me this life and you can have the rest

A countryside of Guyana where togetherness is best.

IT’S TOO HOT

The July sun

Is no fun

It is just too hot

But I know a spot

Get some pineapple shandy and shade

And you will have it made.

CHANNA

I love channa still

A lovely bowl, my fill

Chick peas, a pot to boil

Seasoned and fried in oil

Kick it up a notch with spice

And add some more, that’s nice

Channa for one, channa for two

A snack for me, a snack for you.

ALONG KURUPUKARI WAY

[Essequibo]

Life is about places along the way

Winding road with faces of the day

From the first moment when you rise

A fleeting glimpse before your eyes

Like the pitch of the dice or the toss

Or the rivers where you might cross

To inhale the serenity just for a while

And enjoy the freshness with a smile

A portrait of life’s blessings so grand

Along the way, where you may stand.

KURUPUKARI CROSSING

Enjoy the Kurupukari ride

Across the grand Essequibo wide

Such pristine lush for your eyes

Deep in the heart of Guyana’s skies

Follow the winding trail to the ferry

Stop for awhile and be merry

As old as time is this bush trail glory

The Kurupukari Pontoon, the story

The noise of the City is far away

Out in the deep, the Lukanani play

The chorus of the songbirds, the tune

Moving slowly is the Kurupukari Pontoon

Feel the sun god’s gentle caresses

Waiting for the ferry, no one stresses

Hear the bushman’s tales of the fond

The quiet Kurupukari Crossing and beyond.

A CHAIR WITH A VIEW

[Guyana, Highlands]

Don’t bother with all the strife

Remember the fragility of life

So take it easy and take it slow

A seat in a Berbice chair to know

Inhale the blessings, I know you can

Enjoy the pleasures of the dear land

And it does not matter who you are

In this Berbice chair, you are the star

Appreciate life’s pleasures and the ride

Of course this is for you to decide

A Berbice chair with a majestic view

Beneath the highlands’ tranquil sky of blue.

TIE MY HAMMOCK

I will tie my hammock in the shade

Down by the river, I have it made

I will balance things that give us worth

In my hammock between heaven and earth

Amidst these two poles I shall swing

Suspended in my bug proof hammock sling

Down by the river beneath a mango tree

A place to rest and feel the pleasurable breeze.

SWEET AND SOUR

If you’re given a lemon, make lemonade

And sip a cold glass of it in the shade

Don’t be sour like the words of your lips

Add some sugar and here are a few tips

There will be ups and downs in life

But live it with kindness and no strife

Life is full of many twists and turns

So be courageous, stand tall and learn

Be optimistic, look on the positive side

And let peace and love be your guide

Add lemon juice, water and sugar to a cup

Stir in the flavors and then it is bottoms up.

WATCHING EYES

Suddenly it is quiet as they stare

Puma of Guyana moving in pairs

Even the birds are silent in the trees

One puma out in the open you can see

The other another puma is near

Both in a trance and ready to tear

Majestic they are and have to feed

Freshness of a meal will take speed

Pumas on guard on the shady hills

Another big cat of Guyana in the still

Watching eyes where it seems serene

The drama of life in the forest of green.

NO MONKEY BUSINESS

Indulge yourself with happy days

Look for the brighter side of the rays

Open your heart and let sweetness flow

Let peace be with you wherever you go

Look around for your blessings so grand

Enjoy the sights & sounds from where you stand.

MORNIN’ SHAVE

After my morning shower

Shaving is a ritual in that hour

I feel like a manatee with bristle

But a shave will make me whistle

Sunrise refresh in my theme

As I lather on the shaving cream

With the disposable razor in my grip

Gently and smooth strokes, the tip

Rinsing the razor often in the sink

My whiskers gone in a blink

And into the mirror I shall peer

My face as smooth as a baby’s rear.

WALK IN THE CORNA

[Parika- Guyana]

The miracle of life itself is the single greatest reward

If you should fall, get up and keep moving forward

Forget the pain, the broken mirrors and the rejection

The dark of the endless nights fighting your reflections

Remember to be positive, it is your destiny and fate

Never put your dreams on hold or you might be late

I don’t know what the future may have for you or me

So you should always walk in corner and safe you will be.

SUNSET OF PEACE

[Berbice- Guyana]

Let the evening star guide you to calmer seas

Let there be peace and love to the far end of galaxies

Let the ambient Angels singing adorn this earth

And kiss all those in need of loving around its girth.

THE END.