Top of Carnival

good morning
living on the top
of a small island
on top of carnival
the highest point
nothing to get you there
but boredom and rum
getting in shape for the climb
spending dollars
for the long trek
upward
let the children witness the climb
for they are to follow
the technique for the coming years
will remain the same
they must master the climb
year after year
to the top
where all sins can be released
burying the entire island

hangup

It's Carnival weekend in Trinidad & Tobago

Many people come from all over the globe to join in on the party that is known as Carnival. It's time to hide the kids and shut up the neighbours.

There are two things that Trinidadians definitely know how to do better than anybody else:
1) Jump Up!
2) Wave.

Nature, War and the Super Bowl - I'm pumped and ready to Ramble

Wars bring peace -- eventually, maybe not in our lifetime but it's inevitable, because nothing lasts forever. Humans will continue to evolve. The battle that continues in Iraq is playground stuff. It will be soon forgotten and the world will go back to talking about Laverne and Shirley reruns at the water cooler (I'm just guessing). Many people have some serious wars going on in their lives at all times. However some wars are not unlike the Super Bowl -- one Sunday, then it's over. On Super Bowl Sunday opposing players get pumped up for battle and the team with the heaviest artillery usually wins. Nothing is real, everything is synthetic. I was an NFL football fan once -- but no more. Where is the challenge in today's sports, when the players with the best drugs dominate, it's akin to inheriting $20 million dollars (as a young adult) then having to go out into the world to "make it on your own." Can this be much of a challenge? Once the players are on the field, I have no doubt that it's like an out of body experience where the drugs take over, add adrenaline to the mix and those sculpted masses of beings are pure hard hitting entertainment (sometimes referred to as a war). The wars going on in our world (including Iraq, as noted) though on a grander scale, are like little sideshows -- maybe not for many of the families involved, but like I said earlier, nothing lasts forever and as we are not merely physical beings this should be accepted as a natural path. The deadly Tsunami, now that's real, that's what nature is all about. It's awe inspiring. Does it really matter in the long run who wins the Super Bowl? It's only years after the game has ended, that it's full impact will be played out -- when the livers, kidneys and other internals start wearing out and the once heroic player sees the next wave. Something that is bigger than both himself and his pumped up past. I'm talking about a possibly unexpected and immediate passage from this life. (Right now there's a car driving by with a death announcement over bullhorns, complete with funeral location) This is a beautiful place to die. The next time you consider borrowing and plunking down US$3000 for a big ass TV to watch a pumped up affair, give further thought to (1) what else you could be doing with the cash, (2) whose bad habits your entertainment dollars are supporting and (3) why Super Bowl ads cost so much money to air. Game over! That was quick. Who won? The next day (nature willing) the media will tell us that the only real war that went on during the Super Bowl was the one that Napster waged against Apple's iTunes and iPod. Needless to say, that one was over before the popcorn started popping.

Without Pope

ok, I am the pope
now what
your freedom?
each day tells us
too many babies
trample through the forests
I want a slicker ocean
to slide on my behind
without dampening my skin
without the possibility of ingesting the salt water
without making a difference
can we do without
the babies keep coming
they are lining up
to ride on the digital tractors
to eat from the mechanical gardens
to grow to trample through the forests
I want to kill you
just a thought
nothing personal
for you are but ones and zeros
I'm a hunter once again
make me proud
stop blowing smoke up into the clouds
build me a zoo
two by two
let's start all over again
and do without me

The pulp

I had jelly on whole wheat toast today
as part of my late morning breakfast
the jar was first opened yesterday
clear on top,
different from the usual
written on the jar was firstly
guava juice
not guava pulp
I picked the juice instead of the pulp
I was looking for the jam
but chose the jelly
when I think of jelly
jello isn’t far behind
honestly, sitting here
I know that jello is what I think of when I see jelly
there is nothing substantial in jello
In life
there might be times when that’s all you can
swallow
I gave it up decades ago
It’s all about colours
kids love colours
pick up a brush and some paints
included are the colours of the rainbow
colours of the earth
the colour of the jelly is the same
as the colour of the jam
dig deeper
long ago I picked up a saying
I haven't used in years
“It’s got to be jelly cause jam don't jiggle like that”
the surface jiggle has it’s place
visually attractive
some want to dig deeper
the texture is what’s needed
feel it, wrestle with it
wrap it around you
chew on it
choose
pulp

Mondays can wear you out

I spent today at the beach. The sun was so hot. I am totally worn out.

Gave peace

Christmas is long gone, but I remember it well

Getting lost in the aisles

turning this way and that way
it stopped being funny
as the seasons stopped caring
no pride no respect, just phony
after money
Christmas in style
vanished some time ago
like religion has ceased, for us on the go
a glimmering t.v. shouts at us “no”
down into the aisles
we find nothing, and less about “ho”
a few want to save
the willing and guess
about the next generation
pilling, swilling and sex
to come right back to aisle one
with the frown deeply planted
fatten our wallets
and become the hunted
the season is over
yet some make us smile
the cynics, the disheartened
the disenchanted fragile, pause
and notice, then do all they know
to stick it in your face in some
neatly packaged show
I’m dysfunctional, I admit it
I silence the decades
though the years don't slow
I don’t feel the need
to play the game, to make it a habit
beat you by lying and stealing
to fatten a wallet
I thought the aisles receded and hid
as for living in peace, I made a bid
writing in silence and through it for hours
a bullhorn blares out with a mobile shout
bringing the aisles were the powers that scour
how did they know that I wanted
a bedroom suite, just for show
to decorate my invisible home
pretend like the others
then come right back to aisle one
where I reunite with the mothers

Bellybutton

After the rain. This might happen with a bellybutton, under similar circumstances.

Record rainfall in Trinidad

Here on this tiny, little island called Trinidad, we've recorded the highest levels of rainfall in January for over 50 years. Maybe, January 2005 marks the beginning of a cleansing of the nation's ills.

Hint of a rainbow

This image could possibly be very soothing to many people right now.