In the beginning (1962) the All High made the heavens and the earth. She made the seas and all the waters then She separated the dry land from the waters and She called the dry land 'earth'.

In the middle of the waters She shaped a new island called Jamaica. Then She looked at the island and it was good. She filled it with good people brought together from many lands over many seas and they became one people.

Then the All High said to the good people of Jamaica: "This is your land. See, I have given you all manner of trees and fruits and good things for food. All of you must work hard and take care of the land and share the plenitude of the land fairly and justly with each other so that you can all enjoy the land which I the All High have given to you".

Then the All High withdrew unto the heavens to observe without too much interference what the good people of Jamaica would do.

And then all Hell broke loose.

1 One would not be crazy to think

That with all the wood and water to drink,

The good people of this beautiful land

Would make the effortless effort to stand

And work together hand in hand.

2 To wrestle with the soil

To till and to toil

To build and to make

To give and to take

Just enough as each need

Instead see the outcome of avarice and greed.

3 A few wear satin others sport silk

Some sip cocktails others honey and milk

But in this land of beauty and plenitude

Many each night, go to bed without food

But they go to bed to think and to brood

And they rise to the day in a belligerent mood

4 Guns, and knives and assorted weaponry

Have replaced "I am sorry" and "excuse me"

Which back in the day were expressions of chivalry

Children and women - the innocent and the fair

Are as likely to kill you,

Should you get close to their lair.

5 Education and scholarship no longer lead the way

Confusion and contention is the order of the day

No patiently building on a day to day basis

"Waste of time who wants to linger in stasis?"

"Something for nothing!" is the rallying cry

While hard work and honest toil go bye!, bye!

6 The All High no longer gets too much attention

Everyone is too busy for such matters "ole fashion"

A Day to give thanks and honour to the Almighty

Is not for those intent on upward mobility

Sporting, shopping, and sailing on social calendars

Make going to church the last thing on the agendas

7 The road to perdition for this land of wood and water

Is awash with the blood of its sons and daughters

The faces of the masses are sullen and seedy

And the once decent people have become grasping and greedy

Rapists and murderers walk the earth and its traces

Fear and anxiety are etched on children's faces.

8. Thanks All High for the few whom through Music and Sports

Make the world look again at this place and its worth

They show that the size of the land doesn't matter

It is energy, determination and strength of character

They show the untapped potential that lie underneath

Just waiting patiently for a chance to "unsheathe".

9 Were it not for the natural beauty of the land

With it beautiful mountains, blue seas and white sand

Were it not for the "Remnant" that continue to try

To see through the darkness and look to the All High

It would be very difficult to envision or imagine

Any chance for this wonderful gem of the Carib.

It is 46 years - yea it is less than 50 years since the All High withdrew to observe from the heavens the beauty of Her creation.

She is not amused by what She has been observing and Her Countenance is troubled.

She looks at the beautiful island and it is still beautiful, then She looks at the faces of the beautiful people She cannot see their eyes because they are downcast and they are barricaded behind closed doors.

Despair and fear stalk the land.

She shakes her flowing locks and reflects on what She has observed over the decades. The 'big buster', the 'sharer', the 'mountain-top climber', the 'deliverer', the 'four timer', the 'short-timer' and now the 'gilded one' at bat - leaders all, chosen by them, from among them, to lead them to the Promised Land. Still, they wander around in circles after more than 40 years.

Over the decades, the All High ponders: "They have asked me to use my mighty hand to guide them, but they do not take my counsel. They have asked me to give them vision but they have refused to see. They send up prayers and when I speak to them in my 'still small voice' they drown me out with the noise of gunfire, the blaring of boom boxes, the cacophony of corporate scheming and the dissonance of political double dealing.

I do not like what they do, but I the all-loving love them, with all their faults and their failings, I love them and I will continue to love them for all eternity.

So, I your All High mother will make my covenant with you. I say unto you that I, the all-seeing, sees all possible outcomes and I see a day coming when your eyes will be opened and you will see the light. I see a day coming when your level of consciousness will be raised and you will choose to be sublime.

I, the 'almost' all knowing know that for that for a while you will continue to follow the wrong pathways, but I know that in time the scales will drop from your eyes and then they will be opened to the ways you have been holding yourselves back. Ironically the one thing that I the All Knowing do not know is how long it is going to take for you to "see" and only you can determine that".

Though I, the All High, hurt for the violence and the suffering you unwittingly inflict on each other, you and only you must struggle towards enlightenment, because it is the struggle that will make you strong and free again

But free will is My Gift to you and as much as I love you I cannot interfere with your choice. You may choose the easy path or the hard way. If your beautiful land is to heal you must choose the path to enlightenment and not continue to choose the path to obscurity and darkness. I, the All High cannot intervene - each one of you must make the decision each one of you must choose. You must do it for yourself, but I will be there for you at all times.

So regroup and recentre, Mr Gunman and Mr Don Murderer, Miss Singer and Mr Dubber, Madame Sinner and Mrs Saint, Mr Political Leader and Mr and Mrs Political Follower, Rev Pastor and Mrs Church Goer, Sir Male and Lady Female, Professor Professional and Mr Gambler, Mr Wife Beater, Miss School Teacher, Mr Street Vendor and Miss Street Walker, Mr Bus Driver, Mr Conductor, Mr Drug Dealer and Miss Drug Mule, Miss Sales Person and Mr Banker, Mr Hotelier and Mr Farmer, Mr Beekeeper and Mr Shopkeeper, Mr and Mrs Doctor, Mr Cop Killer and Mr Killer Cop, seek after righteousness and swim to the light.

And even though you drown me out with the noise of your shady commerce, your corrupt practices and your violence I will continue to whisper into your heart - I will never leave you or forsake you because I love you, my beloved Jamaica.