You are my hero, wonderful and fierce. Although I haven’t seen you for many years.
Your heart was so pure, enduring many tears, Your will so strong despite the many years.
Your brain was so sharp, you even remembered your cares Love, laughter, pain and hurt over the many years.
You matured, emerged a Phoenix, in the midst of hateful stares, You evolved beyond expectation in the many years.
You saw me, you knew me, despite the many scares You were me, still are me, despite the many years.
Pop! Whoo! Wirl!
The dizzy little fish named Snappy twirled!
Up, up, up to the sun, His golden scales brightly glistened.
Down, down, down, Staring at the sand he sadly frowned. Then up he swam again
Left and right he zigzagged Round and round he swam Through the rainbow coral and over peeping crabs, he raced his shadow fast.
Until… he stopped… Something peculiar caught his lens’s.
“What’s that?” he asked, rotating his eyes. “It’s not a fish, but a seal in disguise…”. “Or maybe”, he said as he took a closer look… A penguin dressed in yellow with a pink bow tie”! Per chance could it be a dolphin or whale Or a mermaid that grew legs to replace her tail…
“Hmmm, what would that look like?” Snappy thought on this with all his might…
A mermaid that grew legs to replace her tail… could it be an octopus?
A mermaid that grew legs to replace her tail… a walrus?
A mermaid that grew legs to replace her tail… - No clue
So, he thought and he thought and thought some more, then remembered Uncle Bill Snapper’s folklore….
He told little Snappy that outside the sea there lived 2-legged monsters called a family. There was a mom, a dad, a girl, a boy, a baby and something called a toy.
Snappy laughed, “Ha ha ha ha ha”.. but wait… He thought, “Folklores aren’t real, is this a mistake”
“Is it a…. Girl? She’s right there staring at me” “A girl, a girl” he thought, how could this be?
Oh Snappy, don’t you see, it must be, as little girls don’t live in the sea!
They can’t zig and zag and swoosh around, or adjust their eyes when the sonar sounds. Their scales don’t glisten and their suits aren’t feathered, Could this be trick of the moon or weather?
But a girl has limbs - 2 arms, 2 legs She stands upright like stalagmites in a cave She wears a dress that ebbs and flows, like the seaweed dances as the tide goes Red ribbon and yellow dress, make her shine among the rest
“Hello little girl”, Snappy said, eyes bright She waved back then twirled, …wow what a sight! Snappy said. “I’m pleased to meet you, it’s my first day. Would you be me friend, visit and play?” The little girl agreed and from the on they were friends, whooshing and whirling in the aquarium.
Who would’ve thought on that special day, Snappy’s greatest discovery would be a girl monster who’d like to play!!
Pop! Whoo! Wirl!
I extended my arms as I looked around the thick white cloud that descended so quickly upon us. I could only make out figures in the smog and crashed into them as I gingerly advance into more nothingness. This weather event is unusual but seems a pre-curser for more to come just as Jack tried to explain to the weather board, to no avail.
Where is he? “Jack!”, I called out in despair. Even though it seemed of no use in the abyss, as my voice appeared sucked into the wall of clouds around me. Still, I called for him again, hoping he’d hear me soon or materialise as one of the gray figures.
What’s that? Another sirene wailed in the distance. People start running in the now graying cloud now thinning a bit. I thankfully could make out a street light but 5 steps away and as I dart for it got pushed into it hurting my shoulder. He could be anywhere! I must find a way to make contact with Jack or reach the reactor before it contributes further to the climate dilemma or worse, becomes radioactive and implodes.
Finally. After three days of looking at this piece it’s finally done and man, I think I outdid myself with my best work yet.
Painting the right skyscrape made this perfection! Choosing muted peach, with faded clouds of grey and purple tones to depict a dismal sky surely capturing the aftermath of a storm and demonstrating solitude and quiet for the surviving ship.
The lonely ship itself drifts slowly yet formidably into a cove, across the darkened, still choppy sea that pulls the boat into shore. The surrounding islands look desolate, showing only a few trees and the promised land.
My piece captures the mood of the aftermath and the pride of the gallant wooden ship. She’s still beautiful and plowing forward with wind in its 3 massive sails and masts, the smallest also tied in rope used to guide the chariot on course. It for sure depicts the hope and survivability that it ought.
It’s perhaps my most thoughtful work yet, conjuring a sense of loss and yet the promise of new life. I figure the piece is less about the ship and more about the journey through life through dark storms and into new beginnings, churned and triumphant as a result.
It was a particularly hard day. Truth be told, I was happy when Rodger called me up asking for help with umpiring the girl’s league team in Rock Sound. It was a relief to be out of house, lest Uncle Bert would find some labour intensive task in the field or Mother would volunteer me to get something done anyhow. As I drove down through Governor’s Harbour toward the ballpark I couldn’t help but miss life on the road with the boys a bit, but I’d take home any day. The pay almost couldn’t cover my bills in the minor camp and Coach practically held his shoe on my neck for being a foreigner. At least here, meals were free and I was home around family and friends I love. The roar from my JC family and fans was better than anything over there. Be it ever so humble. Whew, it’s hot. At least I was able to get out of daddy’s field early and leave before he got back. Jerry isn’t interested in the games like I was do I left him home. Just a clear head, the ocean breeze, and open roads is sufficient therapy for me! I hope this girl’s team has done good players. I only know a few names but it would be a good opportunity for them to make a name for themselves. I should probably park near the gate so I can slip in my car and leave but not too close to get keyed. For sure, this isn’t the home field even if it’s a girl’s game and the Harbour Hustlers weren’t too happy to see me last week and complained there way into defeat again. At least I see a few familiar faces in the small stands from here and they don’t like to support the woman’s league anyhow. Oh good, the teams are already filing in to warm up. I’d better get out and meet the coaches before we start. Ah, I almost forgot my whistle. Whoa, the field is dry, dirts already on my cleats. Some of the players are quite fit, but I won’t stare lest they think I’m interested. Where’s the coaches? Having met them and looking at the clock, it’s best we start on time to maintain a good standard for punctuality just in case I can do this again. Watching the clock, I think I’ll call it now, “Play ball”! We all sang the national anthem and flipped a coin fir heads and tails. Rolle’s Auto was up but I forgot who they played. First player went up to bat and the pitcher threw 3 clear strikes. The crowd and team were understandably angry but I called it fair a a nod it was early minutes yet. The next batter was up, pitcher threw 2 balls, 3 strikes, receiving yet again moans and sighs of distress. The 3rd batter advanced to first on a fair hit, while the 4th fouled out. Following a similar rotation to the opposing team who yet received 1 base runner, a short firecracker on 3rd shouted “C’mon ump!” Quite sternly. I stopped for a second as she must not have respected my authority on the ball field. Did this little lady just over half my height not realize that I’m the official judge and jury on the field? But she was so serious and didn’t ramble on, she had me thinking, was I too strict and judging them ion a higher standard like my pro-level past? Possible, so I must consider that this is a community level game. As I continued to look at her, I saw fire in her eyes, she sure was something else - It was passion for the sport and was as if she could see through me to my core. She wasn’t flirty like the other girls I had to ignore and not foul mouthed like the others currently hurling insults. Though time stopped, I reminded myself that I didn’t come here for that and simply responded to her, “Play ball!” After the next cycle of plays, she shouted again, “Oh, C’mon Ump!”. However, I called the came fair and told them that much. I smiled that time. She kept her eyes on my and the ball. I think she understood me then, there was no point fighting. Her team did win the game after all and so did I. I introduced myself to them afterward and explained the calls hoping they would understand the errors and be better ball players. I exchanged numbers and mailing addresses with her as I was living between Nassau and Eleuthera at the time and luckily she would be moving to Nassau. She had a shy smile and though she didn’t say much her eyes spoke clearly and made my heart beat with excitement about the possibilities. The rest as they say is history!
