JAH Bless President-elect Barack Obama!

It is the early morning hours on the night after Election Day and I just had to express a few thoughts. I am overwhelmed with joy, and with hope. Barack Obama has been elected as the 44th president of the United States! It is hard for me to even articulate my feelings at this time but I am so very proud to be an American and to have witnessed this important moment in U.S. and World history. My confidence was not in vain… I knew in my heart that American voters could not pass up such an opportunity for change and progression. I was moved to tears by the speech that President-elect Barack Obama gave tonight because I have never experienced having a leader that inspires and gives hope to the country in the way that he does... it is simply contagious. I also thought I would never live to see a black president... before now, America didn't even have a president or vice-president outside of an Anglo-American background. This is truly epic. I can only envision a positive and bright future ahead of us. That being said, fyah pon all of those weakhearts and doubters who even now continue to discredit the achievement and potential of Mr. Obama... if ones cannot come together and unite with a common interest in this crucial time, then they are working to destroy the will of the people and the works of the Most High. Peace-loving people will not tolerate any more fear mongering or foolish talk; it is a new age and a new season. JAH Bless the new President of the United States and guide him in all his endeavors! This is a wonderful time to be alive, and I am glad to share this experience with my students as their teacher. I will be celebrating this event for a long time and I anxiously await Inauguration Day. If you believe, then you can achieve! Yes we can!

Bless Up Obama!,
JAHsh

The Eve of Hope

78 years ago today, Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I alongside his wife Empress Menen in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ever since that time "King Alpha" and "Queen Omega" have been righteous examples for humanity, inspiring the Rastafari movement and all of the great freedom fighters, singers, musicians, and humble servants of the Most High that have united underneath the red, gold and green banner during the last century.

I can only imagine the enthusiasm felt by the Garveyites and the first Rastas like Leonard Howell during the time of Selassie's coronation in 1930. Marcus Garvey's prophecy that said to look toward Africa for a black king came to fruition. Finally Africans at home and abroad had a king of their own that they could acknowledge. Yet this joy wasn't exclusive to Africans alone, people and leaders from nations all around the world knew that this was no ordinary secular king who was crowned (they only had to read the Scriptures and ancient tomes of history). There is no doubt that the life, wisdom and teachings of His Imperial Majesty have continued to inspire generation after generation of people from all colors and creeds, regardless of how they sight up his character.

Now, I don't intend to compare Barack Obama to the personality of H.I.M. Haile Selassie I, but I can't help but feel an excitement in this time and recognize this same feeling of excitement in millions of others who share it with me. This "Eve of Hope" as I call it must be something like that moment 78 years ago. However, this time we have the power to elect our leader, we have the opportunity to make a right and proper choice.

I am not one to invest myself in what I&I call "politricks" and I have no faith in politricksters. However, something truly seems different about Barack Obama. It is not because of his racial background and the significance behind that, those are not the measurements of a good leader… it is because for the first time, this man, a regular man with a true, fair, and accessible vision is offering something new to the American people and ultimately to people from all around the world as well. From the very first time I heard Mr. Obama speak, I was moved in such a deep way that I knew this man was an exceptional person and that he could be the answer to America's problems. His intelligence, integrity and determination are a breath of fresh air in the stale room of politics. Obama's leadership and philosophy is what this country needs and I believe in the change that he offers.

It is hard to believe that in only two days from now, we will elect a new president of the United States. I am confident that Americans will make the right choice and I am confident that things in America will begin to change for the better once Barack Obama and his wife Michelle occupy the White House. There are so many naysayers and hatemongers spreading propaganda in order to try and stop this from happening, but the voice of the people is the voice of JAH. Opposition is nothing new, Mussolini had his eyes on Ethiopia even as His Majesty was crowned, and every good and decent leader throughout history has had to fight against evil. But the age of fear is over and hope is on the horizon ready to chase the wicked back into darkness. It is amazing to see the possibility of a black president only a few decades after the Civil Rights Movement and less than 150 years after slavery in America was abolished. It goes to show that good will always prevail and that for the most part Americans are progressive and altruistic people. Imagine now having a leader who can foster those same ideals and restore America's reputation as a beacon of freedom and equality to the world.

Haile Selassie I's titles were King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Elect of God and Defender of the Faith. I hope that on Tuesday night we can dub Mr. Barack Obama as President of the United States, Leader of the Free World, the Elect of the American People, and Defender of the American Dream. Perhaps King Selassie's Coronation on a Sunday, November 2, 1930 is a sign of the future and a benediction for Obama on this Sunday today, November 2, 2008.

Vote on Election Day, Nov. 4th!... JAH Rastafari!

JAHsh

Dull Blade

Dull Blade

Too long I been cutting through this Babylon jungle
Working hard day by day
With all my might I fight for the African struggle
Now it ah go dull my blade
I need a rest so I can strengthen my structure
But Babylon won't behave
I need some time to strengthen my mind
But the system wants to enslave

Too much information
It ah go dull my blade
Too much aggravation
It ah go dull my blade
No time for meditation
It ah go dull my blade
No time for creation
It ah go dull my blade

I need a bredren who can reason 'til seven
So I can sharpen my blade
I need a sistren who will sit down and listen
So I can sharpen my blade
I need to read up the Psalms of David
So I can sharpen my blade
I need to hear the utterance of Selassie
So I can sharpen my blade

And then I will cut and go through
Ready with machete it no matter what they do
Rastaman will cut and go through
Ready, holding steady fighting for me and you
Binghi-man will cut and go through
I won't let the wicked dem make me inna fool
Every day I will cut and go through
Rasta never get weary, I know just what to do

Too long I been cutting through this Babylon jungle
Working hard day by day
With all my might I fight for the Human struggle
Now it ah go dull my blade
I need a rest so I can strengthen my structure
But Babylon won't behave
I need some time to stregthen my mind
But the system wants to enslave

Too much frustration
It ah go dull my blade
Too much temptation
It ah go dull my blade
No time for supplication
It ah go dull my blade
No time for exaltation
It ah go dull my blade

JMC
10/4/08
(c) 2008

JAH Time

We all have our own concept of time and when things should be done; the time to graduate, the time to marry, to have children, the time to accomplish anything under the sun. We live in a world where "time is of the essence", "time is money", "time waits for no one" and "time is the master". It seems like there is no escaping time... it is part of our daily life. Yet sometimes we don't measure up to our ideas of time or our culture's ideas of time and it causes disappointment or distress when we miss out on an opportunity.

Years ago it had been my plan to reach a certain destination close to my heart. Everything was set to go and I literally had the ticket in my hand, but things didn't work out and eventually even things beyond what I had anticipated began to suddenly change. During that time I was upset and didn't really understand why my plans had failed. However, in hindsight I began to consider the reasons behind the change of course and although all my questions were not answered, the way ahead became clearer. Circumstances changed but I believe that it was meant for me to reach this place I had intended to visit; it just had not been the right season.

After so long everything has finally come to fruition, I'm setting off on my journey tomorrow. At last I am going to my destination and the time is right... there are different circumstances, and I am older, a little wiser, more experienced, and perhaps more appreciative. I don't know why it has happened now, all I know is that I am definitely thankful that I have been granted this chance because it is a serious blessing. When one door is closed, another is open. When that door is opened it is our responsibility to seize the opportunity.

In the end, the only time that really matters is JAH Time. We have to free ourselves from our limited view of when things should occur or not occur. With JAH one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. In our human experience we have to wait on JAH patiently to open the doors for us when the right time comes. Seeing this blessing manifest has reminded me to measure my life with JAH Time.

Trinidad and Suriname here I come! Stepping outa Babylon!

JAHsh

Refreshment Course

Sometimes life becomes so busy that everything becomes automated. You rise up in the morning, get ready and go to work. You do the usual things at work and then return home. Even leisure activities that you normally enjoy become routine. All too often, the course we take in life's journey becomes stagnant and dull… nothing stimulates us anymore and we are in dire need of invigoration. This is when life's course needs a refreshment course.

I've been finally enjoying a vacation, time off from my busy schedule as a teacher. A vacation is always welcome, but in my case it couldn't have come at a better time. There are so many things that I haven't had the chance to do lately, such as writing (clearly evident in my shortage of posts), focusing on physical fitness, and most important to me, being in tune spiritually and strengthening my livity. The truth is that I was disappointed because in my heart I was beginning to miss these necessities in my life, but furthermore I was also missing the energy I needed in order to get out of the slump. Every day of monotony took a toll on the senses, so that even reading or listening to inspirational words whether in scripture or from an uplifting reggae tune… didn't seem to inspire. I didn't actually realize my want for these essential things and their simple importance in my life until the dust settled and I was able to get a feel for myself again. Something that really triggered this was when I had the opportunity to come together and reason with a few likeminded people. The experience was like rain water nourishing a seed that had been planted deep within the soul. Once I had it again, I became very aware of its long absence beforehand. Yes, everything does happen for a reason.

Personally, as someone who sights up Rastafari, it is hard for me to find people who share the trod with me during everyday life so I consider it a real blessing when given the chance to just release the vibes. Being able to speak to someone who truly overstands the same things that you do and who can equally contribute to a reasoning is fundamental. It refreshes your purpose and sharpens the mind, like Proverbs 27:17 says "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." Perhaps this was the one ingredient I was missing, the good vibrations to shake it up and circulate the flow. Even a strongly disciplined lifestyle needs a lift every once in awhile, it is the key to natural progression. When something becomes too routine and easy, then it is time to bring things to the next level and when something loses steam, it is time to add more fuel to the fire. I think that is why people are not meant to be solitary, we need one another to learn from, to teach, to uplift. In the words of Burning Spear, "social living is the best."

Now that I finally have the time and the initial battery charge, I hope I can use it properly... collecting the drops of rain into a steady stream of water, so that in turn I may be the tree planted beside it, bearing fruit in due season. One thing is connected to the other, and it must balance out eventually. It is now the season for me to hold a firm meditation, refresh my spirit and continue on my journey. It is now the time to rediscover the world and its beauty, to once again contemplate the magnificence of JAH, and reconfirm my purpose. When we become refreshed, everything becomes so clear again. I can already see and appreciate the many doors opened to me right now, and feel the excitement and optimism that I have as I approach them.

I certainly hope that all of you, those who come across my words, and my family and friends can travel on a refreshment course as well, off the beaten path that has been beating us to mere complacency. Don't let the world suck you dry, you've got to open your third eye. May the Most High guide and protect, and may your hearts be satisfied within.

Live Up,
JAHsh

The Sun Rises In The West

The Sun Rises In The West

Thousands amassed, waiting
For the appointed arrival
Eyes to the sky, they stood
The heavy incense of herbs
And the sound of binghi drums
Words, sent up to the heavens
As a welcome
Please, come

For hundreds of years they suffered
They lived, shackled in gloom
Wailing like the abeng of the Maroon
Many tears had fallen from their eyes
Just like the rain from the grey skies
Even now looming above their heads
But today, it would be different
Today, a sign would reveal
In the flesh, and not news-reel

The time was now at hand
A sudden hush fell on the crowd
In the distance could be heard...
Yes... roaring
As if a chariot led by lions
Was soaring overhead
The dark clouds had parted like curtains
And light shone down
Like the first act of creation

The people stood silent in anticipation
As a giant vessel approached
Marked with paint strokes of
Green, Gold, and Red
The same colors worn on every dread
It made its landing
Thunderous rejoicing shook the hemisphere
For finally, the Lion of Judah was here
Shielding their eyes from the radiance
They could tell... it was really H.I.M.
All their life they have looked to the East
But today the sun rises in the West
And now escorted by elders
He descends the steps

Everything is now so clear
Everything is now so real
This would be their liberation
The day of the Rastaman groundation

JMC
4/21/08
(c) 2008

Groundation Day - Haile Selassie I Visits Jamaica
April 21, 1966

Troubadour

Troubadour

As if emerging from Eden
She was just passing by
Greeting me with a smile
Reflecting a celestial beckoning
Then as her lips parted
I was suddenly questioning
What was this voice I heard
That had my soul so stirred
Her melodies made me pause...
And consider Jerusalem’s hills
Listening to songs of divine glory
Telling me another righteous story
Oh, it was a real true thing
The music that this woman would sing
Her chords coated with affection
She was vying for my attention
And I... I couldn’t bring myself
To go her way
No I couldn’t that day
For I was Rooted
And Grounded
Lord, she was travelling along life’s way
And every note on the guitar she’d play
Just made me feel so sublime
She seemed to be from beyond all time
And yet I couldn’t follow
I had to hold on to my tomorrow
It appeared strange to her
And maybe it was strange to me
But sometimes you have to let life be
Instead of wondering
What might have been
Or what might be
She invited me to dance to the drum
In a gateway city where she was from
To come and move along
And join in her song
But I stood still
While she, kept on
Back on the road she set upon
And me, only my mind chased her
Soon her angelic voice faded
Like swollen echoes dissipated
Off of a canyon floor
So too left this troubadour

JMC
3/26/08
(c) 2008

In Like A Lamb, Out Like A Lion

In Like A Lamb, Out Like A Lion

He went in like a lamb
Forsaken by His people
But guided by JAH hand
His body just a vehicle
Can’t kill the spirit of a man
Rome tried to take it
Yet they can’t overstand

From Golgotha to Addis Ababa
No one can stop the will of JAH
Manifest the Savior and the Conqueror
First come the blood and then the fyah
I&I know, and so it go
In this time, Prophecy reveal
And who can’t hear, must feel
He who is worthy to loose the seven seals
Is the same one that humanity must appeal

He came out like a lion
Appointed and anointed
To rule with a rod of iron
Babylon so disappointed
Now we look toward Zion
Where Selassie I pointed
No more death or crying

Come, Children of the Lamb
Come, Children of the Lion
Together with Love and I-nity
Together troddin’ unto Zion
For it was written, according to His plan
That the Lion shall lie down with the Lamb
It must be, because they’re one in the same
See His hair like wool and His crown like a mane

Yes children, JAH live! Yeshua live! Selassie I live!
More life! Resurrection time, everytime...

JMC
3/23/08
(c) 2008

Precious Life

A week ago today, an old friend of mine was shot and killed. I heard his name on the radio news just before I had planned on going to sleep. It's funny how you can hear various statistics and strange names on the news every day and you grow numb to it, but when you hear of somebody familiar it strikes you with a sudden and harsh reality, the reality that everything can change within a short moment in time. The people and things that we value the most could be a gone in an instant. Life is very precious indeed, and it distresses me that so many youths are out on the streets wielding guns and knives with the intention to rob people of the most precious thing that they have. The most troubling thing of all is that weapons and the fools behind them have gone beyond the streets and warzones and into homes, public areas, and schools. Everyday people could have their last day by receiving a gunshot wound to the head, such as my friend, having nothing to do with any kind of those wicked behaviors. The road of life sure has its twists and turns.

During this week I had to grapple with a series of thoughts and emotions. For instance, how do you confront the family of a friend who was the innocent victim of random and senseless violence? How do you even confront the notion of the whole event? Something that I had gone over and over in my mind was the fact that we need to appreciate and value our lives. First, we must value our own. This could mean different things for different people... but for myself, I know I wish to refrain from negative and destructive things. Everything I do should be worthwhile, it should be upful. And in knowing and loving myself it allows me to fully appreciate others, which brings me to the next step forward, putting a value on other peoples' lives. Everyone has a right to live free and to live happily. Each person on this earth shares a common journey, just like you and me, but their journey is unique and it is their own. We must love one another and respect one another. This does not always mean agreeing with somebody, or aiding and abetting their faults... but it means to accept and respect their human dignity. Who is man to play God? How can we who do not create life, take it? The two greatest commandments given to humanity were to love JAH, and to love one another. It is time to follow these basic instructions and stay far from hatred and violence.

The sad and unfortunate passing of my friend also led me to think of how much time we sometimes waste on petty fussing and fighting. People can hold grudges and bad feelings against others for a lifetime and then try to make peace when it is convenient or when the end approaches. Yet, life doesn't always take a predictable course. What happens when the end is swift and unexpected? What happens to the intentions, the words, and the actions that are left in limbo? Family members and friends should be appreciated in all ways possible. Don't put off until tomorrow what could be done today. Tomorrow is not promised, so we must do our best to live positively and peacefully with each other.

I think of my friend during this time. I think of his family, particularly his wife and his children. I see their grief and their pain. I see the ruins of the confused and misguided youth who killed my friend. I pray for all. I understand the suffering now behind each name on the eleven o'clock news or in the morning paper... and I wish so many more would see what I see also. Mankind, put away the guns, put away the knives. These things were designed only to maim and kill. Leave all the foolishness behind... learn, listen, love, and live. Life is precious, and everyone is entitled to live life to the fullest. It starts with us, but may it never end with us.

Blessed Love,
JAHsh

Porcelain's Prospect

Porcelain's Prospect

Sitting on the shelf of the fine china cabinet
Behind glass doors in a room's desolate corner
Polished porcelain ponders its primary purpose
Free even from a smudge, but still feels worthless
No stains, scrapes or chips on its painted surface
Glazed over in rumination, a ceramic aberration
Watching the other dishes from its lofty display
With dismay, wondering if it will be used one day
Missing the conversations around the dinner table
Flirting with the forks and spooning with desert
Cleaned and towel-dried from some crumbs and dirt
Even envious of those broken against counters, smashing
Or thrown across the room in fits of folly or passion
But it still remains untouchable, a precious plate
Crafted by an artisan's hands, but lamenting its fate
All are afraid for its quality, too unique to imitate
It simply sits and reflects with eternal moments to muse
Yet all it really wants is to be handled and used

JMC
1/27/08
(c) 2008

King’s Betrayal

King's Betrayal

Why is it that every boulevard with the name MLK
Still struggles each day with crime and gunplay
People will quote one line of "I have a dream…"
But in the end they don't even know what it means
I see his face on a T-shirt or his voice on a track
He is a symbol of pride, the symbol of dignified black
Yet the fact remains that we still have segregated brains
Ignorance and apathy are the thickest of all man's chains
How can some celebrate virtue when they live in vice
Now a hero is the man with stunna shades and the ice
I have a dream where every man can rise to be a King
When we'll free up education and cut off the puppet string
Victims of the system is what some choose to portray
Instead of healing broken families and fighting moral decay
A legacy locked away making the present seem like the past
While people hide behind an African mask of "free at last"

They made a holiday but the war has still not been won
Everywhere I look I see the ties that bind are coming undone
We need another one like the Reverend to run and take charge
For the pestilence of prejudiced thinking is still at large
The only voices I hear calling are those far on the fringes
Angry extremists who've already flown off their hinges
Stop the negative thinking and the behavior of animals
Tearing down one another with the appetites of cannibals
We must reach to pull back the community from sinking sand
With fullness of cooperation, hand in hand with our fellow man
The youths have been sold on gilded glamour and fool's gold
Keeping them pacified on porno and music videos they behold
It's the time to make goals and actively seek a better solution
Too many lost souls are stifling in this poisonous pollution
They've given him his honor and they've given him his day
But I pray, people don't betray the memory of Doctor MLK

JMC
1/23/08
(c) 2008

"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Mere Moment

Mere Moment

The air tastes sweeter when you close your eyes
And look at life through the yielding lens of wonder
In a mere moment of tranquility you will realize
That the sun shines brighter and leaves your skin
A little warmer, where you can bask in radiance
It brings a fragrance of love, wrapped in its wafts
You know that here is your resting place, a paradise
For there is a nest for the bird and a hole for the fox
But how much more are you, child of Zion, time to arise
Planted in you is a seed where the ground is fertilized
Sometimes you have to prune back down to the root
Make room for new growth, emerge like a green shoot
Tear away the tangles, back to the tender heart of youth
Humble and innocent with ears and eyes for the Truth
It is here where you can be nurtured in confidence
Igniting the eternal flame, internal light the same
As the solar ray which pierces through the stratosphere
A cleansed mind burns away the fog of doubt and fear
And evaporates the stagnant pool of tears below your feet
Indeed the world and its trials only last for awhile
But this is your domicile, open up your eyes beloved
Stride forward and bless creation with your knowing smile

JMC
1/5/08
(c) 2008