THE ZEST OF GUYANA THIRTY FIVE POEMS

By Dmitri Allicock

ORANGE PEEL FRESHNESS

The first slither of the orange peel

My soul refreshed with a citrus feel

Ripe oranges to peel I love the best

To inhale the sweetness of that zest

The passion of homegrown fragrant

And orange peel freshness so instant

AFTER THE RAIN

Blossoms of life is the scene

Sun shines & grass is green

Four adorable kids so sweet

Stepping on Guyana’s street

That distant sky is now blue

Colors of the morning anew

Four lovely petals in the light

After the rain is indeed a sight.

SUGARCANE SQUEEZE

Tantalizing scene in the land of sun and rain

A vendor slowly pressing stalks of sugarcane

Sweet juices flowing with this taste buds tease

Refreshing nectar of an Upper Demerara squeeze.

HORN OF THE SHIP

The horn of the bauxite ship blows

Clearing the way as the river flows

A century of bauxite, and the horn

In 1916, the bauxite king was born

Rhythm of Upper Demerara’s chime

The fortune of bauxite and that time

A heart wrenching boom and a thrill

Echoes of life flows on the river still

Shadow of a ship passing in the light

Swells of the waves as it sails from sight.

BAPTIZED

Cleansing of the soul

When Jesus is in control

A dip in the Demerara, is a sight

And striving to make things right.

BUSH HOUSE DAYS

I do remember that precious time

When the joy of boyhood chimed

A bush house of leaves and sticks

And anything else that we’d picked

In the sunshine when the birds sang

And bells of family & friends clang

Banana or coconut fronds for walls

Such great fun when we were small

Then we were all set for a bush cook

Dinner by our slingshots or our hooks.

ADORABLE SURAMA

Little deeds of kindness

Little children of love

Help to make this word happy

And adorable like the heaven above.

YOU ARE IT!

Catch me if you can

Run faster if you can!

Playing and so much fun

Laughter in the Guyana’s sun

A universal game that I’ll admit

A fingertip touch and soon you’re it.

RIVER SPRAYS

Windswept hair in the overcast sky

I can feel dear Essequibo rushing by

The boat slicing the water like a knife

Feeling the sprays of the river and the life..

A RIPPLE OF KINDNESS

Drop a word of cheer and kindness

just a flash and it is gone

But there's half-a-hundred ripples

circling on and on and on,

Bearing hope and joy and comfort

on each splashing, dashing wave

Till you wouldn't believe the volume

of the one kind word you gave.

A WAKE UP CALL

The darkness of night fades away

Howler monkey welcomes the new day

Sun glistens on the leaves in the morning dew

Wake up! Wake up! The howler monkey says to you.

TRANQUILITY OF DORA

Traveling very quietly and free

Paddling in the river I’d like to be

Gliding slow in a rhythmic motion

Demerara ripples with locomotion

On the shores they are much to see

Kokerite, corio and the cashew trees

Toucans & kingfishers along the shore

The tranquility of dear Dora is the lure.

GONE FISHIN’

On the day when there’s no school

I have great idea that is really cool

Grab some friends & a fishing pole

And say hi to Surama’s fishing hole

Maybe some sweet patwa to munch

Fried dried mullet or darree for lunch

I can almost feel that tug on my hook

And a string of fishes for a bush cook.

YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE

To be in the dark without a light

Is to understand the meaning of sight

and find that the dark also blooms and sings

and to understand what the spark of life shall bring.

MY CLOTHES HORSE

Room is mess

But able to rest

I’ve a fan and a net

Sleeping well, you bet

For the clothes I’ll wear

Just throw them on a chair

For those trousers on the nail

Hang ‘em on my clothes horse rail.

BRING ALL YOUR DREAMS ALIVE

Live a life of substance

Live it with significance

Make a mark that is indelible

Where all things are still possible

Lift your head up, and go for gold

Live with honor, be strong and be bold

Let your heart be where peace can dwell

Bring all your dreams all alive & live it well.

BOY & HIS DONKEY

A boy and his donkey made a pair

A precious friend for whom he care

In the streets, you will find them there

No better friendship is found anywhere

A boy with a comrade who feel and thinks

A donkey with a friend who gives him a drink.

INNOCENT EYES

The eyes of a child are so divine

That sweet innocence you’ll find

Eyes which speaks only the truth

The excitement over a lost tooth

That wonder and such amazing joy

Sparkling eyes of a Guyanese boy

The mirror that has nothing to hide

Window to all things beautiful inside

A world of hope seen thru these eyes

That gentle realm where happiness lies.

CHICKEN SCRATCH

Chickens looks for something to snatch

Feet digging in the mud as they scratch

Feathered heads bob, looks for a squirm

A bug, a wee gravel stone or a little worm

Cackling and clucking they ran to the patch

Searching for morsel of their chicken scratch.

AVOCADO SANDWICH

A nice avocado, now soft for me

The slices of my knife slides free

I can toss it with lettuce in a bowl

A pinch of salt maybe eat it whole

Or slice some tomatoes, and toast

That sandwich, I’d prefer the most.

FEELING THE DEMERARA

Feeling tea water, cool and free

Feeling the river, I’ll like to be

Feeling the smooth water glide

Feeling the calm, peaceful tide

Feeling the crunch of the sand

Feeling the natural joy so grand

Feeling a daydream in the beam

Feeling Upper Demerara & supreme.

WALKING THE DOGS

Dogs on a seashore walk

Listening to the breeze talk

Hold that leash of love, very tight

Reassure others, they wouldn’t bite

Let them run, play, sniff, bark and poop

And always remember to use your scoop

Some biting dogs of Georgetown’s chimes

Reserved for those delinquents of the times.

FAIR- MAID OFFERINGS- [Georgetown]

Fair Maid of the waters so deep

Tell me what it is that you seek

Laying in the sunshine unfurled

A folklore of a Guyanese world

That age old tale that confounds

A water maiden looking around

Why are you back here so soon?

Is it thy offerings of the last moon?

The lost souls in which you’re paid

Spirit of the deep, a not so fair maid

Long flowing back hair cast that spell

Fair Maid of the deep where fears dwell.

THE SQUAWKS OF THE SEAGULLS

The screeching squawks from up high

Coastal Georgetown, sounds of the sky

Floating on the wind and flying so free

Beating hearts of life at one with the sea

Majestic, soaring & flapping their wings

Ocean sprays and squawks that peace brings.

RED BUCKET IN THE SAND

That red bucket with that countryside view

A chore of fetching water that once I knew

The childhood virtues of a Guyanese track

The early lessons of life and a strong back

A bucket in the sand perhaps for a little joy

A red bucket by a creek and when I was a boy.

A SNOWY KISS

Lily white birds of the Kingston seashore

Watching and waiting in the distant roar

On the rocks with those big yellow feet

Surveying for crustaceans or fishes to eat

Furry softness blowing in the cool whisk

Twiggy legs of dear Guyana’s snowy kiss.

THE CHICKEN OR THE EGG?

The question has been asked before

By learned men and so many more

Chicken or the egg, what was first?

The answer revealed with this verse

Life is a circle; no beginning or end

History, today, future, all in a blend

The spinning blessings of our world

The Milky Way in the universe twirl

The story of that shell and inner core

The embryo and amazing birth galore

For the chicken or the egg the answer is

A simple circle of divinity for that aged quiz.

BEAUTY IS ONLY PETAL DEEP

[Oleander of Guyana]

Pink and deadly goes hand in hand

Oleander bouquet from another land

Beauty is only petal deep so stay away

To admire but never to taste on any day.

WATCH YOUR STEPS

[Parika]

Take heed and hear my call

Watch the steps & don’t fall

Take your time if you might

Stop hurrying and do it right

Step carefully & take it slow

Or a flying tumble down below.

HE’S MY BROTHER- [Wismar]

Good old friends meet

In dear Wismar they greet

Great friends they still are

Remembering times, so far

Passing years and losing touch

Things that mattered very much

Thinking of the moments & the days

Treasured times that will stay

Winding road of many bends

Destiny that will they meet again.

GOIN’ TO BUY SOMETHIN’

Who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream

Separate the sorrow & make soursop ice cream

The candy man can 'cause he mixes it with love

And the sweetness from the heavens above

He makes the world taste so good

Because the candy man thinks that it should.

LAND OF PINK BLESSINGS

Land of Malacca fragrance & charm

Soft grass and pink kisses so warm

Alluring showers of petals beckons

Quiet Demerara river shore deafens

Strong like sweet roses on the breeze

Big juicy fruits soon to be on the tree

Lingering aroma never to pass you by

Lures like honey to a bee or butterfly

Land of pink swirling round and round

Beautiful blessings covering the ground.

RUN SOFTLY DEMERARA

Sweet River runs quietly through

Shimmering under the sky of blue

Tranquil it is from the river shore

Watching you run soft once more

Majestic glow in the tide that goes

The ancient secrets that you know

Sounds of silence which I still hear

It radiance pulses, felt everywhere

The gently ripples and lonely wave

River of content and what you gave

My dear Demerara of now and then

I was blessed to feel you once again

Flowing along with my soul entwine

River of dreams and this river of mine.

REFLECTION OF ME

Blue skies dancing on the Demerara River

Attracting my attention as the water quiver

I looked and so many thoughts to be seen,

Beyond the gently ripples and calm serene

I think of my life; the journey along the way

The memories, the faces and I think of today

Reflection of the times in the shimmering skies

Images like a mirror but only brief for my eyes

Lost quickly in that glow that I can no longer see

Just a glimmer in the water and a reflection of me.S

BUSH TRAIL TO HOME

The song of life in the sun or the rain

The trail of Guyana, I will travel again

Under the lush canopy where it is dam

I’ll follow the path my ancestors tramp

That untamed trail that is always new

To feel the freshness of the morning dew

I’ll look for the birds & all there is to see

Listens for those sounds of wild and free

The whispers of nature where water runs

On that Guyanese trail before I am done.

THE END