as good as your word

It is better not to have vowed
to keep yourself pure,
to unite with someone till death,
to be loyal to spouse or country,
than to make that promise
and then break it.

Before God and all mankind
I pledge the love and loyalty of my heart,
the wisdom and courage of my mind,
the strength and vigour of my body
in the service of my fellow citizens.

I promise to stand up for justice, brotherhood and peace,
to work diligently and creatively,
to think generously and honestly,
so that Jamaica may, under God,
increase in beauty, fellowship and prosperity,
and play her part in advancing the welfare
of the whole human race.

(The National Pledge of Jamaica)

whirlwind

my head pounds.
too many thoughts by night,
too much mental sleep by day.
drained by the strain
of an exhausting last stretch,
of numbers swirling into letters,
of making little sense of either.

full

I lose myself inside my head
and am completely unaware,
until I realize I have not heard
a word of what you just said.

vociferation

when the pressure builds in a silent space
I'm amazed at the comfort I feel
from the simple release
of my voice at high decibels

double trouble

when will you learn?

the actions you do
wayward as they are,
are forgivable at best
if you step up and 'fess
as soon as the deed
has been done!

the longer you wait
the double the crime
for as the time ticks
the one becomes two:
the very act itself,
and trust crushed by you
keeping it hidden away
for so long...

when will you learn?!

silent voices

It is not that I want to exclude you...
bot mi kyaa tek yu evalaastin nagin,
ningi ningi ina mi ies
sidong said a mi a chat bout
hebri han heni ting kom yu main
an hekspek mi fi a tap wa mi a du
fi tun roun lisn tu yu!

It's not that I dislike you...
bot yu de de a nuf nuf ina
hebribodi bizniz an a kyari hit kom yaso
laik se mi beg yu fi a boda boda
mi suol kias wid yu wuklis chati chati
bout oda piipl pikni. yu si mi kieta?
aal mi a hignuor yu, yu nu get di int
fi a lef mi aluon?

It's not that I don't want to talk to you..
bot... bot tap! yu stil de ya?
yu ed tik laik...

delicate exchange

The beauty of notes
weightlessly, gently,
and powerfully floats in,
while the tenderness of tears
softly, smoothly,
and effortlessly flows out.

foolish games

Be wary
of attention seekers,
secret keepers,
ego boosters

unable to give
continuously
of themselves,
completely, honestly,
and selflessly

...the essence
of that very love
whose name they
mock so openly

but in actuality are
completely incapable
of expressing.

adrenaline for my soul

my face, worn and tired
lights up when I see
your name on my screen,
hear your voice in my ear

those around me can tell it is you
from the smiles on my face,
laughter in the air,
dialect in my speech

the comfort I exude brings
the whole room alive with
vibrant conversation from both
sides, neither overpowering the other

our expectations of each other
met in just the right quantity
keep our relationship alive
and shining with purity

I cherish our daily updates,
countless jokes, soft-spoken
seriousness, and earnest interest,
and will miss you deeply when I am gone.

beautiful surprise

just a little motivation,
a smile, a time set aside,
a blank spot that needs filling,
an encouraging word, an expectation,
a colourful touch of expression,
some creativity, and a heavy dose
of confidence from a friend who believes
you are better than you think you are.