I am just a child I say to myself as I put on my uniform and my mother greets me with a smile I am just a child but my body makes people question why? Why I as a child have a six months belly before me ? I sit in class and try to learn My baby kicks me as a reminder of the nightmare I now call life The nightmares take me from my class to the night my light turned to darkness I left school about 5pm after netball practice See I was the best player on my team It was late so hurried to catch a bus As I walked the street to my home I realized I wasn't walking alone The footsteps drew closer and I became nervous Two heavy hands held me back and my uniform was lifted from my back His eyes were dark and empty He buried my body with his and took every ounce of my purity I am a child I shouted and he only laughed I am a child I repeated and he only continued to thrust The blood poured from my young vessel and I knew my gift was lost forever He stood up and said thank you

Can you hear the drums beating? Do you hear the footsteps approaching? Can you hear the horns of the flashy cars blaring? Do you see the lines forming as the supporters come out cheering? The doors are flung open  As the parliamentarians come closer with their perfectly tailored suits and stush shoes The seats are filled as the meeting begins Some lean back with phones in hands  Such looks of disinterest as the plans for the future takes the centre fold Children and women being raped and murdered on street corners The disinterested look grows stronger  The prime minister flashes a bright smile  She seems caring just for a little while  Parliament is in session  We can't disturb Ministers busy discussing the future of our country We dare not say a word The hours roll by and some step out when the tension gets high If Jamaica could cry out she would ask us why Why do we continue to rip her to pieces as the years go by? Her beaches try the b

Our island Jamaica is really going through some hard times recently as it relates to the increase in acts of violence against our children. Recently, a fourteen year old female student was killed in the parish of St.Thomas. Since the brutal murder of the student a lot of talk can be heard about the early hours that students have to wake in order to travel several miles in order to go to school. This is a subject that I am very familiar with as I had to journey from the outskirts of Spanish Town every morning to reach school by 7:30 at Wolmer's High School for girls. Interestingly, however throughout my entire high school life I was probably late just once as I received perfect attendance for several years. This journey taught me good time management and respect for time. There were several times however when I would use my first class to catch up on some well needed sleep this didn't go down well with my teachers.      On the flip side of things, I had the privilege of having a

We pretend to honour Bob Marley on the 7th of February His legacy lives on daily then why do we only remember him only once yearly? Children parade the streets in the latest Bob Marley jersey Ask them to name two of his songs  They mumble as if they can't speak clearly Bob brought the message of love and unity Jamaicans now are filled with hatred and have become even more unruly Do you listen to the words of his songs or just rock to the melody of the band? Are you making Bob proud? He shakes from the ground, confused as to what the world has come to We praise his efforts, speak of the greatness of his messages  Filled with the sweet words he sang but empty with no motivation garnered from the beautiful man Sweet one love is a wonderful jam As the song ends, the love ends The  powerful vibrations stand still in your mind as you return to the hate that has consumed your mind Let us make Bob proud by embracing the message of true love With each verse of his songs let us become closer

How much louder must I cry out for you to feel the pain you have caused me? This relationship is a hard one I don't know how I manage it for so long My body is filled with bruises and I can hardly keep the storm from destroying my foundation In the west and the east they fight over me but I still try to remain faithful to each and everyone Recently however I noticed that many of my broken bones will never mend to become one  These foreign substances you have allowed to exploit my body For many years I have given the best of myself to you but not much good it has done The highest bidder will come and my body will be owned by another foreign land  The children I bring into this world have turn their backs on me My body is polluted,my blood is weak, I can barely make ends meet Yet some of you throw stones at me when I can't give you anything to eat Why do you continue to abuse me when I have done you no wrong? What if I decide to stop lending you my hands to keep your houses stand

Strong bones and sharp minds  But are the youths strong enough? Do they even have the time? Consumed with reality TV while real life passes them by Are you telling me these are the ones on who we rely? Praises are given to those who have the most gimmicks  How many do you admire with genuine and powerful lyrics? Who am I talking to?  I'm talking to the youth Some know strength but only the strength of their sexual prowess The value of the mind is low on the scale of attractiveness Flashy cars,perfect physique and neatly laid hair parade at the top of the attractiveness scale What are you using your youth for? To simply keep up with the current downfall or be the generation to stand tall? Consumed with the excitement of the times and the obsession with money Pride and morals are put aside at the pursuit of fame and monetary gain What race are you in ? To simply have fame attached to your name or be proud of your name Strong bones become frail when they have no structure Youth so wea

Love Affair 2014 By Saccheen Laing Have you chosen which path to go in life? Don't worry it isn't a difficult question or is it? The love affair strengthened in 2014  As Digicel and lime continued to fight for our hearts Thousands switching and call rates fluctuating Many remained loyal while others fell victim to the attractiveness of free calls No matter where you turned you felt the heat and passion of the lime and Digicel brawl Five to ten messages each day, is it love or obsession  Our hearts lay in a limbo as we choose our path  Annoyance on one and heartbreak on the other This love affair is clearly like no other. PNP and JLP continued to state their claims Both promising and pleading for a dedicated relationship The gold diggers who found love with the PNP for promises of wealth and elevated statuses  Quickly abandoned ship when the waves got rocky and the dollar slipped  Many where heard complaining about the commitment to the IMF Some stood firm accepting the threesom

All the same By:Saccheen Laing Wavy long hair flows to her waist She walks with such familiarity as her freshly painted black and white nails frame her hips Have I seen her before?  You quickly approach her as she turns and flashes eyebrows obviously on fleek "Have I seen you before?" She smiles and says I don't think so Thinking long and hard you remember you see her everywhere you go She isn't one of a kind she sways with the crowd Face so neatly painted they demand your attention After awhile you seek more as sweat pours and the polish as run its course Is there more to her than what makes her blend in with the crowd? You don't have to wonder if you have seen her before As she slips in with those around her you become confused Is it this one is it another? How can you tell when they have become one

When shall the change come? Crime and violence ago continue and mash up Jamdung? Street lights come on at night and our window lids we shut tight tight No kids on the street, no time to meet and greet Why can't we no longer walk at nights? Why we don't have no peace? Police men guard the streets  Kids run quickly pass them not sure if they police or just undercover gunman and thief Thousands complete their university education but student loan awaits them in every gleaner publication Jamaica is such a beautiful nation, nice food and nuff happiness and sweet jubilation Wait a moment and turn the  TV off the international station Turn the dial to our local station No more happiness and sweet jubilation Blood flowing in the streets of poverty and ever increasing destruction You have the answers? Tell us how we need a change in politics Five years time and we still have the same corruption  You tell me to smile because better must come I can

The news comes on one,two, three lives gone again in a Jamdung Twelve dead in Mobay everybody worried  Uncles,aunts,brothers and sisters  everybody fall victim  Police have no answers,politicians drive by just another day in Jamdung After 5 gone you walk fast on the road Sweat pours down your face as you hear the first gun shot ring out Hands firmly placed on your heart as you hear the screams and shout People around you walk by as if nothing is wrong how comes nobody cares about crime in Jamdung? Children going missing everyday but we turn our faces the other way Then suddenly your sister is gone for days and you don't know what to do All of a sudden you see the faces of the girls you turned your face from Then it finally hits you crime is serious in Jamdung A text comes in on your phone saying congrats you have won You run to the bank to collect your millions Couple hours later your bank book is empty  Tears flow from eyes as you ask yourself w

So recently the issue has come up and people have been throwing out their opinions here there and everywhere. I currently don't take the JUTC buses but during my high school days I was a regular passenger. When it comes to the preaching on buses I mean yes we have the freedom to worship who we please and so forth but there is also the saying that there is a time and please for everything. I believe that the preaching on buses should indeed be banned because I believe it should be a choice for someone to want to be ministered to. I don't believe it should be forced on them they should be given the choice to turn it on or off like they could do in the comfort of their homes. When someone pays for a bus service they expect to be taken to their destination in relative comfort. One does not know what each individual is going through some may be tired, want to be left alone or troubled with various issues and would simply like to be left alone. These preachers on the buses always