"New Day" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
New Year, New Rules
The Junkanoo echoes have faded away,
The brass and the goatskin have finished their play.
The sun rises bright o’er the tongue of the ocean,
Setting a spirit of change into motion.
From the streets of Nassau to the Family Isle,
It’s time to trade habits and walk a new mile.
The calendar turns, and the mandate is clear:
New Year, New Rules for a better frontier.
The Temple and the Table
We start with the body, the vessel we own,
Too long have we feasted on sugars alone.
Less heavy souse and less floury bread,
Let’s choose the fresh fruits of the garden instead.
The weight that we carry, we vow now to shed,
To walk on the beach with a lighter, swifter tread.
The habit of smoke that clouds up the brain,
The bottle that beckons to numb every pain—
We’re putting them down, for the lungs need the breeze,
And the mind deserves clarity, comfort, and ease.
No more for the powders or pills that ensnare,
We’re breathing the salt of the Caribbean air.
The Pocket and the Pew
The dollars we squandered on vanity’s show,
Are seeds for a future we’re longing to grow.
Stop the "styling" for people who don't even care,
And build up a harvest that’s solid and fair.
We’ll save for the rainy day, harbor the gold,
And break from the debt that has taken a hold.
And when Sunday bells ring out across the blue sound,
Let’s find ourselves standing on holier ground.
To offer up thanks for the life we’ve been given,
To lift up a song to the heights of the heaven.
For faith is the anchor when hurricanes blow,
The compass that tells us which way we should go.
The Screen and the Soul
Put down the cell phone, the scrolling, the glare,
The digital world is a phantom-like snare.
Trade the blue light for the glow of the sun,
Where the tides of the islands endlessly run.
Go fish in the creek, walk the pine barrens wide,
Let nature become your most intimate guide.
But don't just stand still as the seasons depart,
Plant seeds of ambition deep down in your heart.
Read a new book, learn a craft or a trade,
Don’t let your potential start starting to fade.
Be open to stories that aren’t like your own,
For wisdom is found when the ego is prone.
The Family and the Nation
Get close to the kitchen where Grammy is sitting,
Listen to tales while she’s talking or knitting.
Forgive the old grudges, let bitterness die,
Under the span of the vast Bahamian sky.
Show love to your brother, your sister, your friend,
On a foundation of kindness, we have to depend.
Respect for the neighbor, a hand for the weak,
It’s peace and not violence we’re driven to seek.
From West End to Matthew Town, let it be known,
By the seeds of our character, we shall be grown.
New Year, New Rules—may we honor the vow,
To better our country and ourselves, starting right now.
©A. Derek Catalano/Gemini
