Best Blaze A Trail Poems
Jamaica is our island’s name,
A land blessed with so much fame.
And for the part that our heroes did play,
We pause to reflect and salute them today.
Nanny of the Maroons was a heroine ,true and brave ,
And fought with all her might not to be a slave.
Marcus Mosiah Garvey made us proud of our Black race,
And everywhere he went there was pride on his face.
Paul Bogle of Stony Gut fought for justice for all,
And the powers that be had no choice but to listen to his call.
Norman Washington Manley defended workers’ rights with passion,
And fought with all his might to change every unjust working condition.
Sir Alexander Bustamante was a stalwart for workers everywhere,
And was the voice of the voiceless and spoke without fear.
George William Gordon stood tall to help the poor with their plight,
And he never backed down or turned away until things were made right.
Sam Sharpe listened and he heard what the planters said,
But he stood tall and bravely said, “No more slavery,I’d rather be dead.”
We have been blessed with a great legacy and we are a proud nation,
And our unsung heroes and heroines continue to rise to the occasion.
We must unite against the common foe and guard against complacency,
We must be resilient like our heroes and safeguard our rich legacy.
A legacy of greatness , hard work and resilience in every community,
A legacy of talent, ambition, skills and self-worth in every nook and cranny.
No retreat! no surrender! we will continue to blaze a trail,
And as the blood of our ancestors runs through our veins, we will prevail!
Not by sight but by great might, we will continue the fight,
As we vow to conquer the common foe and make things right.
And just like our heroes did , we will stand tall with pride and decency,
As we salute our heroes and safeguard our rich, bountiful legacy.
Let's go out and frolic in the rain
Shove aside all cares and be vain,
In this stormy night from nothing refrain
Neither cry foul nor complain,
Drench to the core and raise cain,
Clap with the thunder once again
And blaze a trail in the lightning domain,
Drive this sassy storm insane
Within our palms its tears contain--
And then...ha, kiss the rain!
~"Rain" contest by Silent One.
~02/24/2013
~"Your Best Poem" contest by Shadow Hamilton
When morning comes and grass is dewed,
one looks beyond the window's view
The crimson sky, announces you
You spread a warmth, with revelry,
You take our breaths, you awe the eyes
Old friend, possessor of the sky,
you tint each cloud while passing by
O' morning friend, O' rising sun…You never fail to come !
Over the rooftops, over my lawn, over the crest of early dawn
Warming,………greeting,…………….skimming along…….
You come each day, to blush my face, your gentle fingers know the way
From morning’s path, long past noon, from east to west, a well worn task
You race across the time and space, an ancient clock, while keeping pace
And as the twilight comes too soon, you blaze a trail with redder hues
And ‘tho I know how soon you’ll go… I wonder why I miss you so…?
My brilliant friend, O' setting sun, it’s time to wave a sad farewell
I wonder why, when fading dim, you play for me, a sadder song?
Yet, still I’m here, in silent awe, to watch you burn away
Slowly………fading………………………………………gone
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I catch a glimpse of you in summer deep
Your auburn tresses floating through the trees
Where at the sight of you a willow weeps
And throws her golden leaves upon the breeze
As you almost bring me to my knees
Your beauty filling me with such desire
As I turn my back on summer as she leaves
Spellbound! As you set the world on fire
I watch you wake the maples from their sleep
Burning cleaving leaves, I watch them bleed
As slowly and quietly you creep
Over meadows and fields of grazing sheep
Leaving your silhouette on the creek
As your flames grow higher and higher
As I follow, not knowing where you lead
Spellbound! As you set the world on fire
I walk through ashes falling at my feet
On a path beneath a golden canopy
And look out at where earth and heaven meet
As you blaze a trail in front of me
Onward through marshlands cattails and reeds
I see your breath rising from the muck and mire
In a rainbow of liquid crystal beads
Spellbound! As you set the world on fire
Lost between desire and melancholy
I rest a spell, my body grown tired
And lay myself upon the dying leaves
Spellbound! As you set the world on fire
~~~
Author: Elaine George
Written: September 3rd, 2013
These shifting poles, I sit and ponder.
As flocks of birds fall from the yonder.
But I have dirty clothes to launder.
I have no time for this.
Some Beetle's killing all the trees.
and something's swatting swaths of bees.
But I have to take care, or my pipes will freeze.
I have no time for this.
So cows eat corn instead of grass.
Some heavy metals in my glass.
I'm in a rush, I'm late for class.
I have no time for this.
On Fossil fuel we so depend.
In 2012 the world will end.
But I have frozen drinks to blend
I have no time for this
These things, they come as no surprise
As we blaze a trail to our own demise
As I sit here writing, I realize.
I have no time for this.
Old friend you came where grass is dewed,
Dear friend, you came to start anew
A rooster crows announcing you
I stretch and yawn, and wash my face
and shuffle down to start the race
Dear friend, beyond the window's view
the dark has left, and worries too,
the bacon sizzles, the paper comes,
Old friend, I'm glad to welcome you
I let the dog out in the sun
I felt a shiver, in my bones
but soon it leaves, the chill is gone
The coffee is here to share with you
You level out, with revelry,
Your beauty takes my breath away
Old friend! Gold sunrise of the skies,
You peak, and nod while passing by
You come each day to warm my face
You race across the time and space
Old, brilliant friend, of rising sun…reviver of my soul!
Over the rooftop, over my lawn, over the crest of the early dawn
Warming,………greeting,…………….skimming along…….
You come each day, to warm my face, a built-in compass knows the way
From morning’s journey, long past noon, from east to west, a well worn path
You race across the time and space, an ancient clock, while keeping pace
And as the twilight comes too soon, you blaze a trail with redder hues
Although I know how soon you’ll go… I wonder why I miss you so…?
My brilliant friend, the setting sun, it’s time to wave a sad goodbye
I wonder why, at end of day, you play for me, a sadder song?
Old friend, I’m here, in silent awe, to watch you burn away
Slowly………fading………………………………………gone
_________________________________________________
9/9/14
I like to dream, yes, that is me
of places new and fine to see.
To stream through night skies with a star,
or float on cotton clouds afar.
What new adventure could life hold
for someone creaking and so old?
I think I'll follow grandchild one,
she's going somewhere to have fun.
These are her words, and they ring true,
of swimming in the ocean blue!
Down Under the Sea:
Down under the sea the fish swim free
so the sharks and all the animals.
But there are people down below
the waves. You might know them
as mermaids, they say, "don't be shy,
we will take a ride under the ocean waves.
It will be fine, don't close your eyes
DOWN UNDER THE SEA!"
Now, there's a dream for young and old,
I love my grandchild's heart of gold.
She swims in seas, I fly with stars,
we may soon blaze a trail on Mars.
Her First Verse
5-13-15
**For Naomi B.
who wrote the middle stanza!
~~May all your adventures be bold, all your new
days bright, all the people you meet, your friend. Grandpa
Huge
Snail
Decides
Suddenly,
In a daring mood,
To blaze a trail on the highway!
In days of old the poets told a tale
A scout rode out to search the unforseen
To gather food and drink, to blaze a trail
A pious nobleman, charged by his queen
He was a fearless man and very wise
Outwitting those mistaking him a fool
His principles he would not compromise
His creed of life, "Obey the Golden Rule"
For many years he rode and sacrificed
His health and wealth, yet never one complaint
His pay for services grossly mispriced
They mourned him in the end, a selfless saint
The poets often cried, the tale so sad
His queen decreed henceforth,"He'll be called Dad"
Daniel Turner
Thank you Dad
Come take a ride on my ebony thighs;
Sink deep into my intoxicating velvet walls
Envision black, brown, skin soaking up the moonlight
Touch my lips, with kisses, hard and full of passion
Embrace the beauty, lust, love-taste the forbidden, this is ecstasy
As the moonlight wraps around our soft mahogany flesh
As my lips blaze a trail from to your harden manly flesh
I want to make you quiver, shake, and moan
I want to take you to the edge of ecstasy, have you drink of my femininity and experience this love -dark mahogany
On Winged Feet
I want to fly on winged feet,
I want to blaze a trail
no one else follows
and I want to carry a message to all
so Mercury would be proud.
Muscles afire on a summer day,
I want to leave all pretenders
gasping for air in a trail of my dust
for they will all know me by my speed,
a speed they can’t even imagine.
Alberto Salazar* will be amazed by me,
for I have stolen his heart of fire and his soul,
and this path laid out is my Heaven,
and no one knows it as I.
After I beat the Kenyans in a 10K,
they will go back to their villages
to train and train again,
and those along pathways and streets
will call my name long after the races
I’ve won, to live and dream
while my journey has just begun.
*Alberto Salazar- the top U.S. marathoner 1981-1982
MY DREAM
I want to see the northern lights
blaze a trail across the dark skies of a starless night
I want to meet my hero from beyond the grave
he who has mastered the abyss of hell and survived...
only to be flunk back upon a broken earth
that he thought he had left behind for good
I want my image to be imprinted upon the memory of a nation
a godlike being in the form of a man
I want to be a legend
by the soul purpose of my existence in this world
I am the mountain top of a broken region
I am the beginning of a story
my story a tale of suffering and sorrow
and although I can see the light at the end of a tunnel
the door to my greatness is still far away
but no worries!!!!
I AM GREATNESS EVEN THOUGH I AM STILL AT THE BOTTOM
Know Yourself, and discover what your strengths
Are, utalizing those strengths as a force.
Be a force for change, in your range and length.
Blaze a trail, and watch nature take that course.
Know Yourself! Discover where you are weak;
Weak in your mind, body, soul, or spirit.
Overcome being weak to reach new peaks
In life. Speak your mind and watch them cheer it.
Know Yourself, and then know your surroundings,
The environment where the product starts,
As if your inspirations were pounding
In your head, like the beating of your heart.
Know Yourself, and to yourself remain true,
Then you will discover what you can do!
Now...
Metaphors dance in my mind
and there's a word I'm hoping
to find, a line familiar as
"I want you to be mine."
Relying on the fact that
poetry hasn't failed me yet
I hope you approve the way
God chose Moses's mouthpiece
and includes all thou's,
ye's, I's and me's
I want you to possess me
the way a forty-niner
would gold.
Blaze a trail through
Oregon greenery and
I'll follow you like
Rockefeller wealth
and hereditary genomes
wearing Nike shoes
till two becomes unified
I promise to pursue you.
Then...
I pictured sunflowers and
spilled rutabagas on grandma's
corner peeled linoleum.
She wore a halo and
shooed away storms
Her hello sounded like hallelujah
and hummed Blessed Assurance
as her dentures soaked
in baking soda.
Eventually...
You're reminding me of
the women of my youth
The qualities of a praying woman
has been man's best protection
The metaphor, word, and
line familiar found:
"He hasn't failed me yet,"
I can hear her saying.
I picture you praying.
To go afar, to see and feel and breathe the places never seen by man
To adventure ones’ self, to test one’s skills, to do what one can
To blaze a trail, and make your personal mark, the axed tree oozing sap
To leave footprints on the virgin ground, to fill in the blanks on the map