I have been to a lot of places and done a lot of things but my heart yearned for all the charms Jamaica has in store for me. In the twilight of my years, I awake with anticipation to each rainfall on my zinc roof, each sunrise from my bedroom window and savor each sunset from the place that gave me life. This is the tapestry on which my life experiences are woven.
Since my return, each day I grow older, I feel younger, stronger and more invigorated. I enjoy new and exciting experiences and linger over my treasured memories. My heart will never grow old as long as I am able to worship God at Boulevard Baptist, wake up with my wife beside me, enjoy the love of family, play a round of golf with friends, jump from my seat when the opponent's ball is caught, seeing a crazy "out of control" driver being ticketed, eat fried fish and bammy on Wednesday, oxtail on Thursday, curry goat and rice on Friday, stew pea soup on Saturday and brown stew chicken with rice and peas on Sunday. In fact, give me rice and peas with every meal.
If it wasn't for ackee and salt fish, escovitch fish, yellow yam and boiled bananas with mackrel, I could have corn pone every morning. "Hell on top, hell on the bottom and Hallelujah in the middle." I delight in a swim in the clean blue Caribbean Sea, smell the sweet fragrance of our flowers and trees, play dominoes by the side of the road with a Red Stripe beside me and watch the natural talents of our people unfold. You mek me proud Usain! These experiences provide my profoundest inspiration on a daily basis and defines me as the Jamaican man I always wanted to be.
I speak to you with abundance of heart. With a nod to T.S. Elliott, After all my roaming, I have arrived where I started and am getting to know the place for the first time. But time and distance claimed no victory over my affection. Whenever I leave mi yard, wata come a mi eye.
Since my return, I have developed a deep well of love that is increasingly hard to conceal. My love for Jamaica lingered in my fifty years absent.
All the wealth of America could not fill my heart with the warmth and kindness of my people. The songs of my heart celebrate the cool breeze that wash over me. I have a wealth, the source of which is not silver and gold. It is born from a life well lived. I can sit down happy. Now that I am at home, my heart glows. I am at peace.
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You know...I got thesis presentation stuff tomorrow and instead i have taken the scenic route...every blog i read i promise is the last but.... So here i am reading another and i gotta admit that its pretty difficult for those of us away from "all the charms Jamaica has in store" to read the poems, see the wonderful photos and not feel a bit envious..okay I agree a better word is empty. Sigh..its snowing out there and the concept of ice falling from the sky is still lost on me...I don't get it..its an anomaly of huge proportions.
ReplyDeleteBut in some ways its heartening because it reminds me of why i am here and why i am prepared to subject myself to hypothermia if not for the love of ensuring that those very "charms" that fill your heart now, will be there and even moreso in another 50 years and more for us and those head to enjoy.
Loving the blog...keep it coming.