Tribute to Bertica Hodge
Hendrikson
(fellow poet, teacher, friend who died on the 30th of April, 2012.)
Bertica Hodge Hendrikson and I forged a friendship as
budding Virgin Islands’ poets mentored by Dr. David Gershator, then lecturer in
Caribbean Literature and Creative Writing at the University of the Virgin
Islands (UVI). We were both published in
V.I.P. the first anthology of Virgin Islands poetry put by the UVI and edited
by Dr. Gershator. Below is Bertica’s
poem, “Wishing Well,” from that anthology. Listen to her voice. She speaks to
you.
Wishing well
I
wish
wish
wish
wishing well
wish that
your knowledge
were my knowledge
standing there
year after year
generations go
generations come
gathering place
for my people
troubled people.
II
In front of you
taxi stand
souvenir shops
for tourist
who float in
fly out.
Behind you craft shop
their craft
not yours
Figurines of ebony
black
brown black
painted black
grey
Jumbie beads
strawbaskets
Cha Cha hats
strawmats
On your west
market square
the latest melee
on sale:
Fruits married
vegetables married
mango marry pear
Eddie marry Jane
divorce her
then live with Martha
Jenny husband
beat her up last night
in a fight
Zephera had twins
yesterday
her mother was a twin
tis ting with them
All the mushay
line off
with their tray
Go to your favorite one
he does give you
mango free
Day in day out
the same ol ting.
Wish
wish
wish
wishing well
that you could tell
all you know
that we will
never know
all that you hear
we never hear
Round you wishing well
That’s where we
had our politics’ lecture
and keep prayer meeting
sell coal
sell people
raffle cars
sell our soul
Overhead tamarind tree
old with age
but strong and proud
sheds its leaves
to display the progress
around the well.
Yes, well
you must wish
wishing well
that we soon
can say
all is well.
© Bertica Hodge Hendrikson
Other contributors to V.I.P.(Virgin Islands Poetry)
include Judith Botsford, Janet Collins, Vincent Cooper, Michael L. Daniels,
Enid P. Dowling, June Esannason, Michael Glover, Howard G. Gumbs, DeEtte
Grueger, Althea Romeo-Mark and Glenn Wilcox.
Volume 1 of V.I.P. was published in 1971.
Field
of Souls
A leaf has fallen.
It isn’t the season yet.
Whirling silently
in the wind,
it alights
upon earth’s bosom.
It won’t be lonesome
nestled on the mound.
It sleeps
in the field of souls,
gives life in its death.
In spring
we’ll gather bouquets
of flowers.
© Althea Romeo-Mark
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