charles
09-04-2012, 09:20 AM
I went shopping for school jeans for Jr. A couple of high-rise malls wanted my salary so I tried something old. I went shopping down town. It was dusty, they were putting railroad tracks for the coming Tram and all the shop owners were starting to SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THEIR TUNNEL. I was moved by the originality of it all. The Caribbean feel of it. I was walking in my small town and it was so dXXXXXed nice. I loved it. Food was in open shops without fancy tables - Just wood cement and good grub. I had coffee without anyone putting my name on a cup with a magic marker then grilling me on what I want then telling me to sit and wait to hear my name. There was a trueness <(Not a word but I like it so ..)to it.
Things came to mind and I realized that there was just too much confusion - like water is for drinking, bathing, cooking and swimming and not to go watch dance. A mall entrance should be in the front. Something about going into the back door that bothers me. No kid alive should wear $150 jeans and $200 sneakers to go play in dirt. Now - admittedly, that is my take on it but.. The visit to down town (something that I will make a habit) inspired me to write this little piece. Fun to do and I ask forgiveness from my English teachers in the USA. POE was never in the Caribbean, or was he?
BASICS
The streets, the beats, the faces the graces
The ringing and chiming of the voices with traces
Of accents that come from far away places
The joyous sound of the down town street
The bells and yells and stories it tells
The clanging of ship bells - A sound so wondiferous
A Caribbean rock far far from trees that are coniferous
Aruba woke up and said something strange
They came, then heard and said never change
Stay humble and happy and remain true blue
To the sounds of the laughter that is happiness - T'is you
The streets, the beats, the faces the graces
The ringing and chiming of the voices with traces
And accents that come from far away places
The joyous sound of the down town street
CHANGE
The bells and the yells that came from hotels
Rang away endlessly in a laughter and joy
This is my island it is my own weekly place
It is my getaway, my Caribbean toy
They Stayed and played and made much trade
These wonderous newbies to the island of OZ
They loved what they found and missed what was home
So quick food came on board and not one alone
The streets, the beats, the faces the graces
The ringing and chiming of the voices with traces
And accents that come from far away places
Dimming was the light of the sound of the down town street
New island stores flourished - they grew and grew
Then came supermarkets with the ocean to view
Commerce moved and malls came on strong
All so convenient - After-all a five minute drive became too long
The streets, the beats, the faces the graces
The ringing and chiming of the voices with traces
And accents that come from far away places
What happened to the joyous sound of the down town street?
NOW
The dusty town suffered then said never more
The whole town is becoming one big empty store
So you think its to far, uncomfy and stark?
Well our new baby tram is a walk in the park.
The town dresses silently - in prep for the day
When all true "Ruba" lovers will come back and play
On our tram or walk slowly to the beat to the sound
Of the everlasting ongoing lovely first ground
What was left behind and thought of as no more
Is not Oz nor a shiny new store
T'is what you came for when it all began
This old place will stay old but but with a "Ruba" style TRAM
So...
BACK TO BASICS
We as an Island give what is not new
The food stores remain with an ocean to view
Trust when I say you will come back home
To the down town shops that stood long alone
The streets, the beats, the faces the graces
The ringing and chiming, the voices with traces
Of accents that come from far away places
The joyous sound of the down town street
The bells and yells and stories it tells
The clanging of ship bells - A sound so wondiferous
A Caribbean rock far far from trees that are coniferous
be well
charles
NOTE:
Forgive use of "Ruba" instead of Aruba.
The later is what it is all about.
cc
Things came to mind and I realized that there was just too much confusion - like water is for drinking, bathing, cooking and swimming and not to go watch dance. A mall entrance should be in the front. Something about going into the back door that bothers me. No kid alive should wear $150 jeans and $200 sneakers to go play in dirt. Now - admittedly, that is my take on it but.. The visit to down town (something that I will make a habit) inspired me to write this little piece. Fun to do and I ask forgiveness from my English teachers in the USA. POE was never in the Caribbean, or was he?
BASICS
The streets, the beats, the faces the graces
The ringing and chiming of the voices with traces
Of accents that come from far away places
The joyous sound of the down town street
The bells and yells and stories it tells
The clanging of ship bells - A sound so wondiferous
A Caribbean rock far far from trees that are coniferous
Aruba woke up and said something strange
They came, then heard and said never change
Stay humble and happy and remain true blue
To the sounds of the laughter that is happiness - T'is you
The streets, the beats, the faces the graces
The ringing and chiming of the voices with traces
And accents that come from far away places
The joyous sound of the down town street
CHANGE
The bells and the yells that came from hotels
Rang away endlessly in a laughter and joy
This is my island it is my own weekly place
It is my getaway, my Caribbean toy
They Stayed and played and made much trade
These wonderous newbies to the island of OZ
They loved what they found and missed what was home
So quick food came on board and not one alone
The streets, the beats, the faces the graces
The ringing and chiming of the voices with traces
And accents that come from far away places
Dimming was the light of the sound of the down town street
New island stores flourished - they grew and grew
Then came supermarkets with the ocean to view
Commerce moved and malls came on strong
All so convenient - After-all a five minute drive became too long
The streets, the beats, the faces the graces
The ringing and chiming of the voices with traces
And accents that come from far away places
What happened to the joyous sound of the down town street?
NOW
The dusty town suffered then said never more
The whole town is becoming one big empty store
So you think its to far, uncomfy and stark?
Well our new baby tram is a walk in the park.
The town dresses silently - in prep for the day
When all true "Ruba" lovers will come back and play
On our tram or walk slowly to the beat to the sound
Of the everlasting ongoing lovely first ground
What was left behind and thought of as no more
Is not Oz nor a shiny new store
T'is what you came for when it all began
This old place will stay old but but with a "Ruba" style TRAM
So...
BACK TO BASICS
We as an Island give what is not new
The food stores remain with an ocean to view
Trust when I say you will come back home
To the down town shops that stood long alone
The streets, the beats, the faces the graces
The ringing and chiming, the voices with traces
Of accents that come from far away places
The joyous sound of the down town street
The bells and yells and stories it tells
The clanging of ship bells - A sound so wondiferous
A Caribbean rock far far from trees that are coniferous
be well
charles
NOTE:
Forgive use of "Ruba" instead of Aruba.
The later is what it is all about.
cc