The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Hurricane (’huracan’ : Taino / Arawak for evil spirit )

Hurricane, worry cane, what’s your biff?

Do you intend to hurt us?

Have we misused the Master’s trust?

Can’t you abnegate our thiefdom?

Or will your stiff-broom sentence sweep

Wrath-wrest us willy nilly

Toil servant, banker, mother, saint

Along with ingrate, thug, ever blasé cheat?

Our isles devolved as user ones

Folk tending to connivance

Baiting any business fish

For true or tainted dollars

These secret shores devoid of wars

Loot-loving archipelago

Wide open arms built its charms

For visitors and what they throw.

Waiting is the worriest thing

Especially for home dwellers

Will a whirling wash of people

Suffer one same furious fate?

Will bits of bible, photographs

Our roof and treasures from next door

Be picked up, gone or borne aloft

To drop, perhaps off-shore?

We face a mighty firmament

Which gathers no distinction

Fisherman, pauper, pedlar, priest

Whatever rank or station

If you cheated now is time

To bend compliant ‘fore it reach

Promise to reform yourself

Tend ill-fated others each to each.

Next time Storm Congress Council meet

To plan the Carib season

Can chiefs of Wind and Swell agree

To target more corruption?

The humble let go free

Smite wrongdoers one and all

Undo sly schemes of demons

To flee the Punish Pall.

JOHN SHIRES

Nassau,

September 4, 2017.