12 February, 2011
Back At It!
14 October, 2010
Beautiful September Morning
Photo:http://www.mikiedees.com/pig_roast.htm
Hi everyone,
It's a very beautiful day...a bit cold I must say, but I'm so excited to see this new day :). Well... I've just stopped by to share a little bit of poetry. Over the past few months I've developed a new love - science, and I have not been paying much attention to Literature but there are times when poetry is needed to help you just lighten up and relax. Today, I will share a more light-hearted poem. Laughter can never be enough, for that matter it is the best medicine. Do enjoy. :-)!
Sir I was cooking my dinner
When I saw the neighbour's hog
Walk straight up to my cooking
And sniff it like a dog.
I warned that pig your honour
Your honour I warned that pig.
I told him to leave my dinner
But the pig was acting big.
I told him 'Dog eat your supper
If you eat my food tonight,
If you touch my fish and ackee
I promise you, I will fight.'
I continued to eat my dinner
I ignored the stupid pug
But the hog was hard of hearing
And he didn't care a fig.
I was going to get the flour
And I'd hardly turn around
When I heard a big commotion
And my pot was on the ground.
You can't imagine, your honour
How it must really feel
To see a 'hard-ears' shoat pug
Treating your dinner like peel!
I'd not have been so angry
If it had been a dog,
But i couldn't stand the thought
Of sharing dinner with a hog.
So, I rushed out in great anger
And I gave a mighty shout
I threw my wooden spoon at him,
It caught him on the snout.
Would you believe your honour,
That the hog look up and grunted,
Then he lay down and pretended
To be completely stunted?
So I thought he had a conscience
And in shame had hung his head.
But when I looked, your honour
The stupid pig was dead!
But as I said your honour
I warned the pig before.
I warned him once, I warned him twice.
I couldn't do much more!
A wise and clever judge therefore
Could not find it unfair
For me to clean and cook that pig
And eat him then and there.
And that's exactly what I did
It surely served him right
You can't ignore such warnings
And not expect a fight!
Just one more thing your honour
That pig was full of spite
For that pig made me suffer
From a belly-ache all night!
'Enough, enough, you've said enough
And silence in the court!'
His honour banged the table
To cut the laughter short.
'As i listened to you state your case
I understood your plight
But you have made one error
And so you can't be right.
That you had warned the creature
Is clear on every hand,
But why did you use a language
Which he did not understand?
To sum up, you took advantage
Of his inability
To comprehend a language
Which is plain to you and me.
The verdict then is 'Guilty" -
Yes, it is clear to me
That any wise or clever judge
Could not let you go free
Pay a fine of twenty dollars
Or sixty days in jail
Give the man a pig or money
Yes, sir, justice must prevail!'
There's a moral to the story
Don't forget it anytime
A pig is not a person
So don't cast your pearls on swine!
Grace Walker Gordon
Cheers!!
Beautiful September Morning
16 July, 2010
A Brand New Day
Hey Guys,
Its always good to start off the day in the word of God. Today, I read one of my favourite chapters in the bible, one which always encourages me: Lamentations 3. In this chapter the author puts His trust and hope in Jesus, not because His life is sweet and dandy, for it is far from that. But because God has and always will be faithful. I hope this chapter will be a blessing to you as it is to me. :-)
Lamentations 3
Hope in the Lord’s Faithfulness
that come from the rod of the Lord’s anger.
2 He has led me into darkness,
shutting out all light.
3 He has turned his hand against me
again and again, all day long.
4 He has made my skin and flesh grow old.
He has broken my bones.
5 He has besieged and surrounded me
with anguish and distress.
6 He has buried me in a dark place,
like those long dead.
7 He has walled me in, and I cannot escape.
He has bound me in heavy chains.
8 And though I cry and shout,
he has shut out my prayers.
9 He has blocked my way with a high stone wall;
he has made my road crooked.
10 He has hidden like a bear or a lion,
waiting to attack me.
11 He has dragged me off the path and torn me in pieces,
leaving me helpless and devastated.
12 He has drawn his bow
and made me the target for his arrows.
13 He shot his arrows
deep into my heart.
14 My own people laugh at me.
All day long they sing their mocking songs.
15 He has filled me with bitterness
and given me a bitter cup of sorrow to drink.
16 He has made me chew on gravel.
He has rolled me in the dust.
17 Peace has been stripped away,
and I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 I cry out, “My splendor is gone!
Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!”
19 The thought of my suffering and homelessness
is bitter beyond words.a]">[a]
20 I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.
21 Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:
22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends!b]">[b]
His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”
25 The Lord is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
26 So it is good to wait quietly
for salvation from the Lord.
27 And it is good for people to submit at an early age
to the yoke of his discipline:
28 Let them sit alone in silence
beneath the Lord’s demands.
29 Let them lie face down in the dust,
for there may be hope at last.
30 Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them
and accept the insults of their enemies.
31 For no one is abandoned
by the Lord forever.
32 Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
33 For he does not enjoy hurting people
or causing them sorrow.
34 If people crush underfoot
all the prisoners of the land,
35 if they deprive others of their rights
in defiance of the Most High,
36 if they twist justice in the courts—
doesn’t the Lord see all these things?
37 Who can command things to happen
without the Lord’s permission?
38 Does not the Most High
send both calamity and good?
39 Then why should we, mere humans, complain
when we are punished for our sins?
40 Instead, let us test and examine our ways.
Let us turn back to the Lord.
41 Let us lift our hearts and hands
to God in heaven and say,
42 “We have sinned and rebelled,
and you have not forgiven us.
43 “You have engulfed us with your anger, chased us down,
and slaughtered us without mercy.
44 You have hidden yourself in a cloud
so our prayers cannot reach you.
45 You have discarded us as refuse and garbage
among the nations.
46 “All our enemies
have spoken out against us.
47 We are filled with fear,
for we are trapped, devastated, and ruined.”
48 Tears stream from my eyes
because of the destruction of my people!
49 My tears flow endlessly;
they will not stop
50 until the Lord looks down
from heaven and sees.
51 My heart is breaking
over the fate of all the women of Jerusalem.
52 My enemies, whom I have never harmed,
hunted me down like a bird.
53 They threw me into a pit
and dropped stones on me.
54 The water rose over my head,
and I cried out, “This is the end!”
55 But I called on your name, Lord,
from deep within the pit.
56 You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading!
Hear my cry for help!”
57 Yes, you came when I called;
you told me, “Do not fear.”
58 Lord, you are my lawyer! Plead my case!
For you have redeemed my life.
59 You have seen the wrong they have done to me, Lord.
Be my judge, and prove me right.
60 You have seen the vengeful plots
my enemies have laid against me.
61 Lord, you have heard the vile names they call me.
You know all about the plans they have made.
62 My enemies whisper and mutter
as they plot against me all day long.
63 Look at them! Whether they sit or stand,
I am the object of their mocking songs.
for all the evil they have done.
65 Give them hard and stubborn hearts,
and then let your curse fall on them!
66 Chase them down in your anger,
destroying them beneath the Lord’s heavens
Cheers!!
Tunsie
A Brand New Day
13 July, 2010
What We've Been Up To
Summer's finally here and although I still have to go to work, we've been blessed with great weather here - the perfect weather to bond with nature. That's indeed what we've been doing. It's a shame that we've been living in this beautiful place all our lives and have not yet seen half of its natural beauty. Well, its never to late to start! So far we've visited waterfalls, rivers, the beach and we have even been to an adventure park. It has been great. Here are a few photos of where we've been so far. I hope you all like them!
What We've Been Up To
24 May, 2010
Endless love...
With not having you in the ways
That I always wish I could
I pretend, when you’re with me
That I am filled with glee
Truth is I always long for something more…
I say that I love you with a grudge
Cause you don’t accept the true definition of my love
Even worse,
You don’t extend the same …
Yet still my love still remains
Evermore
You will always be my endless love…
Tunsie ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Endless love...
Some Poetry Fun
Doing English Literature in high school, I came across some funny poetry. These somehow were brought back to mind to day and I'd like to share one with you. I hope you like it.
Dear Madam, you have seen this play;
I never saw it till today.
You know the details of the plot,
But, let me tell you, I do not.
The author seeks to keep from me
The murderer's identity,
And you are not a friend of his
If you keep shouting who it is.
The actors in their funny way
Have several funny things to say,
But they do not amuse me more
If you have said them just before;
The merit of the drama lies,
I understand, in some surprise;
But the surprise must now be small
Since you have just foretold it all.
The lady you have brought with you
Is, I infer, a half-wit too,
But I can understand the piece
Without assistance from your niece.
In short, foul woman, it would suit
Me just as well if you were mute;
In fact, to make my meaning plain,
I trust you will not speak again.
And—-may I add one human touch?—-
Don't breathe upon my neck so much.
A P Herbert
Some Poetry Fun
17 May, 2010
Short Stop
It has been just a little over a week since my computer has been down and life has taken a backward step for me; I really depend on my computer that much. So right now I'm just stepping in with a bit of poetry. Do enjoy!
I'm always right
You, whenever you agree with me
When you don't
You're WRONG
Even when you're right
You cannot be right
Because I'm always right
But I'll call it black
Blue you say?
Can't Be
Because I'm always right
You disagree?
Then wrong you must be
What? I did something wrong you say?
It cannot be me
Because I do things just perfectly
You did not see it properly
Right I must be
I'm never wrong
That's Policy!
Short Stop
02 May, 2010
28 April, 2010
April is Almost Done...But Not Yet
Photo compliments: flickr.comhttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3403/
3446100697_cd650636ef_o.jpg
Hi Everyone,
April is already coming to an end and I just realized that I overlooked some things completely. The month of April was marked Alcohol Awareness Month, National Autism Awareness Month, National Occupational Therapy Month and National Parkinson's Awareness Month. I think we all need to have some awareness and concern of these things because we are or may be someday in one way or another affected by alcoholism and/or these diseases. I just wanted to share some links with you concerning each of these.
Alcohol Awareness Month is an opportunity to raise the awareness of alcohol abuse and encourage people to make healthy, safe choices. You can have a look at these links: Facts About Alcohol and Alcohol Abuse, How to Fight Against Alcohol Addictions.
National Autism Awareness Month seeks to highlight the growing need for concern and awareness for autism. National Autism Awareness month has been initiated and recognized by the Autism Society since the 1970's. Here are a few links: The Autism Society, Autism.
Occupational Therapy is therapy based on performing the meaningful activities of daily life (self-care skills, education, work, or social interaction), especially to enable or enhance participation in such activities despite impairments or limitations in physical or mental functioning. Take a look at this website: Occupational Therapy.
National Parkinson's Awareness Month aims at the development of concern and awareness for Parkinson's Disease. Feel free to visit this website: parkinson.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April is Almost Done...But Not Yet
14 April, 2010
Rested and Ready to Move On
I'm finally ready to continue the journey of how Literature has developed over the years. Yes, I did remember that I had started a journey. Well, after a long break, I'm refreshed and ready to dig back deep in the past and see what exactly transpired. I will of course be continuing where I left off - Sumerian Literature :-D. And, of course, there is a poem about continuing a journey ;-D... I hope you all like it.
Sat down at the river
For a minute or two
I was disoriented
Was lost and confused
Needed some refreshment
Some inspiration too
Got all I needed at the river
I was soothed from deep within
Everything all seemed clear now
A journey to start again...
Tunsie
Rested and Ready to Move On
04 April, 2010
Just Some Poetry
Photo Compliments: flickr.comhttp://farm1.static
.flickr.com
/46/139136870_
4fadd2f255.jpg
Hey everyone,
Recently I found out that a friend of mine had a great talent - writing poetry. Well, I have posted poems from quite a few different poets and I think that his would be a great addition to the group. Well, here goes. I hope you guys like this.
Tears
What are tears?
Are they a symbol of grief,
The sadness of that the hearts release,
In times of struggle & stress; does our body seek,
A way of comfort; a way to find peace.
As simple as it may seem to be,
It's often that you will see,
A river of tears down the cheeks,
With a smile as broad as the sea,
Of someone very, very happy.
Feelings of sadness; and cheer,
But can we stop there?
It's known that a waterfall of tears,
Can come from someone crying in fear,
That feeling of despair,
Whimpers; panic; terrifying screams fill the air.
It's so easy to cry when you're scared.
Tears may fall; when facing a beautiful ocean,
Tears may fall; when the spirit fills you during devotion
I could go on and on
But I think we all get the motion
Tears are our way of showing; pure emotion.
Dwayne Bellot
Well, I'm off for now!
Ciao
Tunsie ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just Some Poetry
03 April, 2010
The Evolution of Calypso
This is the continuation of he first calypso post. I'm so sorry for taking so long to complete it. Anyway there it goes.
Calypso has earned its place in history as the national folk song of Trinidad and Tobago and the music of the Caribbean after the emancipation of the slaves. However, even before emancipation there is evidence that the art form had begun its growth. It is suggested that West African Tribal songs were precursor to calypso and that calypso had its roots in the West African custom of griot court singing. The griots usually sang songs of praise and derision and were story tellers. It is said that calypso contains characteristics of these West African songs including:
- Percussion Rhythmic Beats
- Call and Response Pattern
- Extemporaneous Singing
- Satire
Over the last century, calypso has spread throughout the Caribbean and around the world. The year 1914 was a milestone in the history of this great indigenous musical art form. This was the year that the first calypso recording was made by the Vincent Gramophone Company of New York. By the Second World War, the presence of the American service men in Trinidad and Tobago ensured that calypso was propelled even further into the international arena. It was also during this period that the first recording studios were established in Trinidad.
The late 1920's saw the rise of the first calypso tents. At that time, bamboo structures and tents were used as the venue for calyopsonians to practice and perform during the Carnival season. (Today, calypso tents are housed in more permanent structures and showcase the new music of the Carnival season.) By the next decade, the giants of calypso had begun their reign. Names such as Atilla the Hun, Lord Invader and Roaring Lion stood out, but there were many others who were also making an unforgettable contribution to calypso music. Aldwin Roberts, the Lord Kitchener proved to be one of the most prolific bards ever. He produced hundreds of calypsos from the 1940's until his death in 2001. 1956 saw the advent of the Mighty Sparrow with the now infamous and popular hit song Jean and Dinah. He followed this with many other memorable songs including Pay as You Earn, Federation, Ten to One is Murder, Mae Mae and Dan is the Man. He continues to record today.
The last thirty-five years has seen several changes in the calypso industry. Attempts have been made to encourage yearlong interest in calypso music by staging concerts outside of the carnival season, however, this has not always been successful. Consequently, many artists tour extensively, participating in the various carnivals around the world. The art form itself has changed, spawning subgroups such as soca, rapso, chutney soca and ragga soca. This blending of various rhythms has attracted a wider audience to the genre.
Today, some of the commentators suggest that the traditional form of calypso is dying, while others claim that it is simply evolving. Carnival historian, Errol Hill, believes that calypso has remained current and popular on the local scene, constantly changing to meet the needs of the population. He says that this is probably because that every season every calypso must offer at least two new songs. This relentless demand for new music keeps the songs topical and relevant but also places a great deal of pressure on the artist to provide quality material.
Here is one of the Mighty Sparrow's Calypsos
Here is an example of soca music which evolved from calypso
I'm off now
Bye
Tunsie ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Evolution of Calypso
April has Finally Begun
Just dropping by. April is finally here and I'm not sure why but I am very excited. Well, I remember that as a child I looked forward for April 1st to come, April Fools' Day. I am no longer excited now that I'm older but April 1st is still a wonderful day where everyone can by lighthearted, make jokes, just laugh around. I even remember a catchy little poem everyone used to say:
Go to school
Tell your teacher she's a fool
If she beats you do not cry
Just take your bag and say goodbye
Well, I'm not sure if any student ever dared do that.
Anyway, I took some time on April Fools looking for where and how this day originated and several stories came up. You can have a look at them here.
Well, there's still much to be done so I guess I'm off
I hope that we are all already having a wonderful April ;)
Bye
Tunsie ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
April has Finally Begun
29 March, 2010
Goodbye March...Hello April
Photo: Big periwinkle - James H. MillerHey everyone,
March has been a very long month I must say. I feel like I've been in March for forever now. Well now we can say goodbye to March and all that came with it, for example, lent and welcome April, another busy hectic month, but a new beginning.
Well, over the month of March I've had a lot to get done...Research papers etc... Having gotten them out of the way, I can safely say that I will have much more time for blogging :-D...and April's already looking like a very exciting month. Well, I've still to finish posting about calypso, showing how it has developed over the years and there are lots of things going on in April that I would like to touch on: Easter, Alcohol awareness etc. Also I've found some personal old poetry that I would like to share and I've found an aspiring poet and would also like to share his work. Well there's always much to explore in the world of poetry.
Well I've decided to end March with a little poem. I hope you like it :-)
Don't just stagger by
Look forward with anticipation
Of a golden, fun-filled time
March right past the old months
Do not stop and sigh
Time is never waiting
Neither should you and I
Tunsie
Well I'm off for now.
Bye
Tunsie
Goodbye March...Hello April
19 March, 2010
The change
Flicker user - kevindooley's photostreamhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/3032068934/
Hi all, I know you guys have been wondering what the Mystery Artist has been up to lol! Honestly, I have been doing a lot of work lately. I found myself getting involved in a number of website developments of which a lot of work is still needed to be done. I have not taken the time to officially let you guys know about the change to the blog. What lead us into deciding to join both the Rare Art Arena and the Poetry Lit and everything else blogs was the lack of free time to submit new posts as often as before. The truth is, these blogs really require a lot of time and effort to maintain. For me , the most difficult aspect is deciding what to write about next lol! and along with that, establishing contact with the artist I decide to feature. Everyone seems busy hehe. Anyway, since the Rare art Arena blog also included posts on poetry, I decided to invite my closest friend to post on the Rare Art Arena Blog, and that was when the thought of merging the blogs came up. Now, the Blog has two writers and I do most of the designing etc. Anyway, we hope that this will keep you guys entertained as we post along the way. Hope you enjoy the new look! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The change
07 March, 2010
Some Food For Thought
I hope everybody had a better Sunday than I did. Mine was not that bad but it is very HOT and the heat is beginning to drain me.. I've been having some awful headaches. Well, I found this in a folder of mine and I just thought that I would share it with you:
The most destructive habit........................................Worry
The greatest Joy..........................................................Giving
The greatest loss..........................................................Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work...........................................Helping others
The ugliest personality trait......................................Selfishness
The most endangered species...................................Dedicated Leaders
Our greatest natural resource...................................Our Youth
The greatest "shot in the arm"..................................Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome...........................Fear
The most effective sleeping pill..................................Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease.............................Excuses
The most powerful force in life...................................Love
The most dangerous pariah........................................A gossiper
The world's most incredible computer......................The Brain
The worst thing to be without....................................Hope
The deadliest weapon...................................................The tongue
The two most power-filled words..............................."I Can"
The greatest asset.........................................................Faith
The most worthless emotion........................................Self Pity
The most beautiful attire..............................................SMILE!
The most prized possession..........................................Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication...........Prayer
The most contagious Spirit............................................Enthusiasm
Well, I'm off for now. I hope that everybody had a great weekend
Bye!! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some Food For Thought
06 March, 2010
The Owl and the Pussycat
photo compliments: flickr.comhttp://farm2.static.flickr.com/1387/1347569710_d4b94be914.jpg
Hey Everyone,
It has been a very long but extremely exciting Saturday. Well, I'm just dropping by to share a poem. This was one of my favourite poems (its actually a non-sense poem) as a child and I know that I'm suppose to be all grown up now but hey it still puts a smile on my face :-).
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!'
II
Pussy said to the Owl, 'You elegant fowl!
How charmingly sweet you sing!
O let us be married! too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?'
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-tree grows
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.
III
'Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?' Said the Piggy, 'I will.'
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.
Edward Lear
The Owl and the Pussycat
04 March, 2010
In Memory of Myrtle Giraudel Eugene
People say that she was happy. Happiness they say... but that could be differed; for happiness and sorrow by no means can exist together. Her joy came from something much deeper and greater than a mere feeling of happiness. She was indeed in touch with the One being who is Greater than all else and He had blessed her. Blessed her with a spirit of contentment of gratefulness of joy and peace.
She was in great need physically but she had drunk from His well... and never was she thirsty again ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Memory of Myrtle Giraudel Eugene
The Calypso
There are many stories as to how calypso came into being. The most popular theory is that calypso rhythms were developed after the coming of the first African slaves brought to work in the sugar plantations of Trinidad. Forbidden to talk to each other, and robbed of all links to family and home, the African slaves began singing songs. They used calypso, which can be traced back to West African kaiso, as a means of communication and to mock the slave masters.
It is also believed that:
- Calypso came from the carib word 'carieto', meaning joyous song
- Calypso originated from the French patois word 'carrousseaux' meaning a drinking party or festivity. This word later transformed into other variants, namely cariso, calyso and cayiso
- It may have come from the Venezuelan (Spanish) word 'caliso' which referred to a topical song.
Here are two videos of Dominican calypsos. I hope you like them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Calypso
Back After a Long Break
Photo Compliments: http://www.nataliedee.com/012807/hi-pig.jpgHey everyone!
Can you believe it? It's already March. Time is just flying by so quickly. I don't think i can keep up with the pace of the new world. Well, I haven't been posting much lately for several reasons. I've had a very busy schedule...and I've been keeping away from the pc a bit...just enjoying nature..and giving much of my attention to the love of my life... The month of love is over but I feel sooo much in love right now that it just isn't funny. Well, it's a great feeling and I like it.
Well, I did promise some posts in particular and I am going to fulfill these promises. I did promise to highlight the works of blacks who made have made contributions to Literature in the past and I intend to just add this on to the writer's page once I get them done...I'll be sure to keep you updated. Also I promised that I would speak about calypso, which has become a well integrated part of Caribbean culture especially at carnival times. As for the love poetry, these will definitely be posted as we go along.
I've also found some poems that I had written a very long time ago. I will also post these and would love to get your feedback... God knows what must have been going through my adolescent mind when i had written those.
Well, that's it for now. I'm going to go browsing through some blogs to see whats new... It has been a while
Ciao! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Back After a Long Break











