Friday, December 30, 2016

Remember Christmas Chapter 6

 

I had a part in a Nativity play I was Joseph, the leading actor.  Every boy in the school wanted to be near the girl that played the lead female part.  Deanna.  Deanna was Mary.  I had long since been in love with her, so of course I was devastated when I got ill and had to be hospitalized.  No end seemed in sight.  The doctors could not find out what ailed me.  I went through a battery of test and still no results and not feeling any better.  The Christmas season was fast approaching and I was feeling depressed.
         Sick and in hospital how miserable can that be?  Then I got a gift a pair of Cowboy guns and holster. My spirits perked up.  Still sick but in a much better mood.   Then one evening a man came visiting whom I had never seen before, and he took a picture of me, standing on my bed with my guns drawn. He promised to return a later with a copy of the photograph.   My mood changed miraculously and I began to feel better.  The spirit of Christmas was in the air again.          Oh! How I love this festive season of the year.  Soon came the day that I was to be discharged the man had not returned with the picture of me.  I was packed and ready and waiting for my parents to pick me up.  I sat on my bed feeling very sad and pensive. May be I would never see the man who took the picture of me again?  Then I would never see how I looked?  
However, remember this is Christmas just as I remove my hands from my eyes the man came rushing in, waving my

picture over his head.  I love it! I look great! I was overjoyed.
 I remember Christmas



Saturday, December 17, 2016

Remember Christmas Chapter 5

Daddy loved Christmas.  During this time of the year, he took control of the kitchen.  Prepared the turkey, the Ham the Garlic Pork, boiling the pigs feet and ears to make souse. Boiling down the beef for the pepper pot and using all of the rich spices.  Not forgetting the rum punch and Punch Remer.  We stood by like nurses passing the different cooking utensils to him the surgeon who performing the different cuts on the turkey, ham and roast pork. 
         During all this cooking activity, loud calypso music was being played, With a Christmas festive flare.  Infusing our minds with the sounds of Christmas, we will never forget.  Mummy would peak every once a while. Concerned about the state of her kitchen, which was now taken over?  This was the only time of the year she did not interfere with activities in her kitchen.   Mummy got about decorating the living room area of the house.  When the food was in the oven, everyone gathered around to help her.  She was quite a boss, but we loved her all the same.  The Christmas tree had to be lifted in and placed into position.   We always had a very big natural Christmas tree.  Last year’s carton with all the Christmas decorations was brought down and old lights were tested and all broken bulbs discarded and new ones put in place.  Then came Christmas Eve night when we wrapped gifts and placed them under the tree.  Oh! How I loved Christmas. Now all tired, we try to stay up as long as our eyes would permit to see when Santa would come with all our gifts.  He only came after we drifted into a deep sleep. 

I Remember Christmas.
Attached to this blog please find links to Lulu.com, saatchiart.com, Barnes and Noble. Also link to spoken black girl my daughter Rowana’s blog.


Monday, December 12, 2016

Remember Christmas Chapter 4

On Christmas Eve, we excitedly take a trip to the shopping district.  The roads were packed with shoppers and hawkers.  There were vendors on both sides of the street making it difficult to walk on the pavement.  Firecrackers went off “Bang! Bang!” Whistles and horns blaring in the aesthetic Christmas air. They were tons of toys and lots of food for sale.
          Of course, one cannot leave out the masquerade dancers they were fun.  Accompanied by flute players and drummers making merry music. Joining them was the scary “Mad Bull with his horns and fearsome face.  Then there was the Granny long lady on stilts with her face painted white.  “Man it’s fun.”    The masquerade dancers and the flouncing musicians singing and chanting {Christmas comes but once a year so drinks your rum and tumble down, “Bato, Bato”!  Christmas comes but once a year so flounce if you flouncing “Bato, Bato”!  Christmas comes but once a year so wine and tumble down on the ground “Bato, Bato”!}
         Up the road, there steel pan players were beating out sweet carols at a bouncy calypso beat. In addition, girls and boys, women and men dancing up a storm to the rhythm of Christmas calypso music. 
          Oh! Boy I love this Christmas season.  

I remember Christmas.
Remember Christmas can be purchased in eBook format from Lulu.com and Barnes and Noble.com and  in iBookstore.  Attached link to Lulu.com, and saatchiart.com,and  Spoken Black Girl, Rowana’s blog.



Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Remember Christmas Chapter 3

In the sixties Guyana was going through a period of political unrest.  There was protest, rioting looting and thousands of workers were on strike. There were food shortages and many houses and business were burnt to the ground.  These were frightening times for children. My aunt Yvonne whom we lived with then was also on strike.  My brother and I had gone to live with her while; our parents were away in Ghana West Africa.
          Therefore I will always remember the sad rainy day when the miracle of Christmas came rippling into our world.  Our aunt Yvonne came bursting into our bedroom dancing and flouncing.  Flouncing is a traditional dance step in Guyana, preformed mainly during the Christmas season.
          Suddenly while flouncing away with the majesty of Christmas Aunt Yvonne raised the hem of skirt and out flew a toy.  Then with one, more whirl and toss of the hem of her skirt out flew another toy.  To my brother and I these were the best of gifts of the season, nothing else mattered.  Our hearts were so content it would not have mattered if we received no new gifts.  We were completely satisfied.  Her dance of an angle flowing with joy and Peace lifted our hearts with promise and happiness.

          I remember Christmas. 
Attached to this blog Art {Juju Eyes} you may contact me on same or saatchiart.com .Also link to my eBook Remember Christmas on Lulu.com and B/N.com.