You Are Involved

Wake up and sit down reading, forgot the time. When I realized it was getting late, I had to hurry up and print out some Martin Carter stuff for groundings as I had forgotten to do so. The realized I had no box to put it inside. Trying the origami thing but not working. Cut and staple a box up.

Losing track - today was groundings 4? 5 ? Got to check dis blog posts to see, lol. Business done early in town, end up going Gift Land, crowd too much, go in and come out back same time. Everybody shopping, shopping. Looking somewhere to wait, end up at City Mall people watching. Nuff young people doing nothing, is sad, they have no where to go but here , doing nothing.

Busy corner Camp and Robb Street, reach first and try straightening out the box I staple up, see other grounder, Lina, come. Nice shady spot, big food court mall going up ova de road. Chinee store selling ting that does bruk afta two day, in the store that used to be Kissons. Talk about that, Bank on where the Kisson's had burn down. I remember that day, angry people gathering, cinema with my dad, we left when he did step out for something and see the crowd. Park , no bus. Finally getting a 45 that charge nuff money cause he wuk out of zone and people desperate. This all long ago. Now place is big bank, shady with buttercup plant.


I had printed off 'You are involved poem," by Martin Carter. Its just two lines when you put it in one paragraph. There were Very few people willing to stop and look at books or talk. However, there many people passing - is pay day for some, more corner about spending than talking. Few that stop, i ask them if they know who Martin Carter is. I Surprise because not many of people have read anything by Martin Carter, or know who he is. I tell them he is one of Guyana's most famous poets, I tell them keep the poem, think about it, share it. Although All are involved poem short but very few people willing to say what they think it means, or are not sure. I think it reflects how little Guyanese are reading and analysing what they read.

Vidya bring national geographic, mostly men takes those, and the ladies the romance novels. Will need some more, i walked with those because last groundings, many of the guards and nurses had asked for them. We need more books, if you have, please donate to us.

Nice gaff with some work study students who want their picture in the newspaper if we take it out. They say the poem is about life, which is entirely true.

Nuff people does ask, who we working for or with ? If we in some organization or church. I always reply, is just some mad people who like reading.

I leave you with the poem I shared:


You Are Involved

This I have learnt:
today a speck
tomorrow a hero
hero or monster
you are consumed!
Like a jig
Shakes the loom:
like web
is spun the pattern
all are involved!
all are consumed!


(Martin Carter in the Kind Eagle, 1952)


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