Black History Month in Poetry (1625-1960) Lord Nelson

A squire is in the square;

So many times those things

Before us, we don't see;

The changing tide we fight

It, with all of our might...

Globalization, is

The crust that holds firmly,

The economic pie;

And nothing is the same;

When the day has ended... 

Do you stop to wonder

Why, sometimes tears do fall

Simultaneously, when

Those kisses are planted?

Why good memories are

Made of bliss, and bad ones

Flow from those teary eyes,

And terror everywhere?

How many times do we

See squire within a square?

How many times we see,

People squatting out there,

In the air and the rain,

Around Trafalgar Square,

Heroes’ Square, the swing bridge,

The Central Bank and pier?

In this symbolism,

Competing images

In mind appearing,

Taxing over stressed brain; 

And those opposing views

We hear, and read in news.

Now Folks for crying out,

Across the island that

There stands a Navy man

In Trafalgar Square that

Is Independence Square

With stone-eyes at Barrow,

Our national hero;

This sailor from Britain; 

A squire within a square,

Pun intended, really

This foreign Admiral

Of the high seas fought for

The British monarchy;

This Lord towers high in

The middle of the square,

Faced Broad Street; backs Broad Street

Close to those buildings for

Parliamentarians;
This foreign sentinel

Guards, prominent site in

Barbados, this sailor

With a gun at his side

Near the boardwalk that

Hugs the ebbing tide,

And this man with one-eye,

One hand sailed many storms

Swirling the seven seas

And Caribbean lands. 

He looked at hurricanes

He watches ocean deep,

With their destructive eyes

On the sea and the land;

Yet he stands steadfastly,

Like the stately Royal

Palms near the bay, with their

Feet in sandy clay in

The porous coral ground

This Norfolk Admiral 

Gazes in full command;

Over harbor, the land,

The careenage and the

Tranquil estuary

Laden with all types of

Vessels mariners keep.

Wishes amid the stars

That he could again sail,

Blue Caribbean Sea

And mingle with Pringle,

At him everyone stares;

But, their gazes are looks

Of admiration mixed

With condemnation at

His stance, so demanding

So much more than a glance;

Tourists from near and far

Have come to pay homage

To noble Englishman

In bronzy body wear; 

With flashing cameras,

On this their Libra knight;

His stony face shines in

The hot tropical sun,

Hurricanes and the dew.

Vexed he as hell the bell

Chimes, loudly in his ears

Like the English’s  Big Ben

Singing on the air

Every hour and day.

And top of that all those

Birds that shit on his head

And "ladies of the night";

That Pringle keeps in her

Inn around Carlisle bay...

Colonial Bajans

Worshiped this Admiral,

'Cause at forty-seven

This Lord, a rector's son

In Battle Trafalgar

Showed extreme bravery,

Eighteen hundred and five,

In their “Little England”;

Bajans adopted Englishman

As their new found hero.

Eight years after his death,

Westmacott’s bronze statue

Of this rector’s son was

Place on Barbados' soil

In our Trafalgar Square.

His memory lives on;

In colonial breeze

Discontent still remains

Concerning his placement

In this Trident nation;

Patriotic Bajans

Aired their discontentment

For this British hero,

Lord Nelson in their square,

Heroes Square, with Barrow.

Father of their nation

Barrow their true hero

Independence he gave

In nineteen sixty-six

Sent, Union Jack back.

To quell the discontent

That brewed on the island,

Trafalgar Square renamed,

The Independence Square;

But discontent remained;

Nelson's relocation

Aired, across the island;

Barrow must take his spot,

He is our true hero;

No foreigner will do.

Appeasement back on board

Because they want the votes;

So the Square was renamed

Heroes Square but still the

Controversy remains. 

On the land, because the

People want Nelson move

From Heroes' Square, a place

For National Heroes;

Not Foreign navel-strings

The jury is still out;

Lord Nelson still usurps;

Amid  turning of his head

Front, back, east and the west.

Politicians silent. 

This Independence Square,

Is the place for heroes

Who are Barbadians

Built by their sweat and tears

Is not for buccaneers...

Like Admiral Lord Nelson,

Move to the Garrison;

His final resting place...

Poetics of the occasion has its roots in history and much use is made of historical imagery.  Its focus is to delineate events of the past by incorporating elements of artful composition and poetic diction.  The poem “Planted Hero of Trafalgar Square” reflects scenes from Barbados colonial ties with Great Britain and the diplomatic battle for independence with Great Britain which Barbados won.

In writing a poem with historical imagery, poets have a slightly different responsibility than do historians.  A modern historian is expected to present factually correct narratives. The poet writing historical poems can adhere to this ideal, but often use poetic license to communicate ideas beyond mere facts, such as mythical or emotional truths.  Contemporary poet is also concern with keeping the voices of historical persons alive who have passed on. Also, I might add that an occasional poem serves various ulterior motives. One such motive might include informing the audience at the time of present events, often to draw parallels and make a political statement. Other motives might be personal, if poets feel a connection to the historical events they are recording. When history seems relevant to poets’ lives, occasional poetry can be a means for emotional expression just like any other type of poetry.

There is the feeling among Bajans that the physical landscape of Barbados

must reflect authentic Bajan culture. That being said, they also feel strongly that

statues  of National Heroes should be given prime spots on the island.

On this matter, Mr. Matthew Farley has expressed his opinion in a letter to the

Nation News paper on 2/14/08 in which he said: "I am one of those vociferous

Barbadians who believe that Admiral Horatio Nelson has no place in our 

National Heroes Square. I support the Caribbean Court of Justice and, like the

 former Prime Minister, I like the concept of CSME [CARICOM Single Market and Economy]."

Well, Mr. Farley and all like-minded persons here is your epic poem. The synopsis or prologue

to the poem takes the shape of an acrostic stanza. Your real bone of contention that has fuelled

this national debate is identified in this stanza.

Please wait for the continuation