WINNING POEMS : AGE 20 & OVER CATEGORY

POET OF DISTINCTION : RODELL JULIEN

I Need To Write

As necessary as believing, or
Perhaps as breathing, I need
To write like flowers need sunrays;
To breathe into a world so mundane
So that minds can grow.

I need to write – stroking away the darkness with the
Very utterance of my pen;
To connect to you with words that stem
From the very core of me;
To paint on this human canvas;
To write of stories past, presently- broken and never-told –
I write till I’m whole.

In the belly of inspiration I may incarnate
Action into ink,
So that my pen may write days and that my people
May understand why kings hated war enemies
But feared great men who dared to think.

I need to write
so that children of broken homes
And tattered stomachs may still strive for greatness;
So that blemished ones can think themselves into
Cherished ones and hate this
System that seeks to tear down and not build up.
I need to write because there is a need of a story of freedom:
Needle-slaves and broken homes;
White-powdered black mule- babes who think themselves
Grown in a world of men . . .
I came, I saw and I penned
A message more durable than stone so that
Those babes may truly live!

I need to write
since words are my religion –
They entice minds and encourage change.
And since the fear of trends and the awe of lyrics
Run through these veins, I cannot sit idly by
And allow living men to die – How can I?
More necessary than believing,
More invoking than breathing;
I need to write like flowers need sunrays;
To breathe into a world so mundane . . .
I have no other need but to write!

Copyright © 2008 by Rodell Julien



POET OF MERIT : ZAID ALI HOSEIN

Decadent World:Perilous Times

The world is going crazy,
I see it everyday.
We're heading for destruction,
We need to change our ways.
So save yourselves from ruin,
Let's walk the noble way,
So Heaven will accept you,
Whilst Hell will turn away.

There's fighting in the East.
There's fighting in the west.
Rebellion brings relief,
From minds that have no fear.
The leaders speak of peace,
With lying tongues they swear.
They only use collective deceit,
To hide their evil snares.
The end of man it seems is near,
Dirty deeds are done with a flair,
Tyranny and greed found everwhere,
Bigotry's a creed,prejudice declared.

The god of this life is money I say,
Worshipped and praised by many today.
The way of the right, is clear to the sight,
Corruption has appeared,morals have died.
Tongues of the wise speak truth not lies,
Some of us deny,we will be despised.

Tomorrow i see with vigilant eyes,
Mayhem and dread with godly demise.
Defective visions pervert the mind,
Poverty, disease - ignorance with pride,
These are the problems we cannot deny.
The time has come to ostracize,
Educate and be advised.
Let light prevail, let darkness die,
Remove the plagues, that bring decline.

Copyright © 2008 by Zaid Ali Hosein




3RD PLACE WINNER : JESSICA JOBE

RETURNED FROM TOMORROW

I left home that day and the sky was grey
My only thought, was that it may rain today
But as the car drove, I fell fast asleep
I guess, I may have fallen asleep really deep

The next thing I knew, and I saw it with my own eye..
Was a man being killed, and people were just passing by…
I guess I must have wondered out loud about my vision
Because the drive replied “can’t be late for my mission”

With that response I looked left and then right
And everywhere we passed, people were having a fight
A fight for peace, and justice for all
A fight for opportunities for Peter and Paul,
A fight for land, food, water and clothes
A fight to decide who remains in control…

Overwhelmed by this sight ,I shut my eyes
And as I listened I heard cries just cries
Cries of woe from mothers and wives,
Cries to please stop taking our lives,
Cries to eradicate this disease,
Cries to god to please help us please

So I blocked my ear so I would not hear,
And took a deep breath, yes, I inhaled the air
Where are we going I started to raise all hell?
Then my driver said listen I have something to tell

You never left home today my child
But I needed to talk with you for a while
My mission is huge and I need a sender,
Go and tell them what you saw be my messenger
Please stop the car I asked my driver
I need to walk.. see.. if I feel any better

As I walked I came upon a stranger
So I stopped and asked what is the matter?
Happiness and Glee he said had to flee,
My name is smile what would become of me?
I passed by grief, mourning and pain
And If I am not mistaken it was a football game
A blinking neon sign said MASSACRE AND MAYHEM
Entrance fee free from AM to PM
Death and Despair were having a drink,
Just to toast how they haven’t had a wink
Pestilence and disease were taking a stroll,
Chatting about how they had infected 5 billion souls
Corruption and lawlessness had their own stage
And in the crowd were anger, frustration and rage..
Now I was scared my blood ran cold…..



I met a child not more than 7 years old
He said “I wish soon to die if all goes well…
It must be better than this living hell”…

Finally dazed, I awoke feeling so low..
That I just had to look out my window
The sky was clear, the day was bright
Then why do I feel so down from last night

As I sat on my bed my heart once again became filled with sorrow
As I realized…….

I HAD JUST RETURNED FROM TOMORROW…….

Copyright © 2008 by Jessica Jobe



4TH PLACE WINNER : SHEBA SOOKOO


PLEA TO SAVE OUR LAND

Before I go to bed at nights, I get on my knees and pray,
Lord, give me the courage and strength to face the coming day.
Too much violence around, accidents claiming innocent lives,
Men brutally abusing and murdering their own children and wives.

It’s no longer safe to walk the blood shed avenues at nights,
Arguments amongst brothers and sisters turning into deadly fights.
Forced to exercise extreme caution as we tread down the lonely street,
Practicing extra-concerned skepticism with individuals we may meet.

Kindness has indeed vanished, love and charity seems no more,
There’s no sharing and compassion among neighbors like it was before.
Men slaying each other to obtain more powers in their greedy hand,
Neglecting the impact their selfish actions are having upon this land.

Trinidad is currently rated ‘one of the most crime prone in the world’
Yet the Minister says, “We have the crime situation under control”
Tourism industry declining and locals forced to take residency elsewhere,
Both men and woman, old and young, rich and poor, all now live in fear.

How much more murders need to take place, before we face this sad reality,
We need to stop being idle and rocking back and just letting things be.
Let’s not wait for it to ‘hit home’ and one of our loved one has to die,
Before we start to ask the questions: who, what, where, when and why.

We know the situation with which we’re faced so let’s get up and do what’s right,
For us to have a chance to save our land, each one of us needs to join the fight.
We need to stop waiting around, but more importantly we must understand
That we need to take a stand right now; we need to SAVE OUR LAND.

Copyright © 2008 by Sheba Sookoo




5TH PLACE WINNER : STARLENE PETERS


CHILD BEARER

You don’t know what is hate until you meet my mother and drink from the agony of my childhood cup.
You don’t know what is hurt until you steal a look into the core of my heart
That heart
Thorn apart by the love I always seek and never found.
You don’t know what is pain until you endure one day of my life and feel trapped by a facade of beauty an elusion of love.
A broken child, asking questions
Why?
Mother?
Why would you leave your daughter?
I needed you
A full view of pain
Darm I was only two … I needed you Mother!
What kind of woman would separate herself from herself?
Mother I am you … a part of you
And you left me
Can’t you see a reflection of you in me.
I hate because I hurt because of you. Mother!
And that hurt is because all I long for is your love … Mother
Grew up,
I’m grown
This is me but you don’t know that cause you don’t know me
I want to tell you a secret mother
“I want a daughter”
But I can’t have her cause I’m afraid I’ll be every thing like you… Mother!
And she’ll endure what I went through.
So I won’t ever bring her into this world cause no one deserves the torture of a motherless childhood.
So this daughter that I so long for I’ll never bear cause you …
Made me taste of the cup of indignation so early in life and I won’t ever have her
Called you the other day
Mother!
Remember?
Went through so much trouble to get that number
Went to Tobago search high and low…cause I heard you were there
I asked people I don’t even know but they say Tobago small and everybody know everybody … so I got it
Your number that is
Excited!
Energized!
Eager!
I rushed to the closest phone right there on the streets and I dialed
3…3…5
Thank God for digicel
Cause yippy I getting to talk to my Mamee
The phone ring and ring and ring again
And as I was about to hang up and re-dail thinking in my anxiety I call the wrong mamee
You answered …Hello!
My heart made a leap and my face illuminated in delight cause I was about to converse with you …Mother
And In-spite of all the pain, hate, hurt, anger and agony …I was happy
But when I told you who I was you stopped me in my tracks
You said ‘I have no time for things of the past’
What!
I’m on a spiritual journey you said
What journey? One that can’t include me your daughter
You are a disgrace Mother!
A woman that never deserved to be a daughter or have a daughter
You’re not a Mother!
You’re on a spiritual journey with what spirit
Your spirit is me
And I am nothing but a two year old child watching her mother pack and never come back
Darm I’m messed up!
Honor your father and mother …
What mother!
God forgot about me when he wrote that line
Cause I ent got no Mother
I got a child bearer.

Copyright © 16/8/08 by Starlene Peters