Sinking Sand

 

 "The Plea" - Bahamas AI Art

 ©A. Derek Catalano

 

 

Sinking Sand

(Sinking slowly into poverty)
 

In the beginning, the ground felt steady,
Firm beneath the weight of dreams,
But somewhere, in silence, cracks emerged,
Thin as whispers, light as seams.
A missing bill, a dwindling stash,
Harmless debts I thought would pass—
The ground shifted slow, like a muted quake,
A gentle tremor in the grass.

It started like footsteps on gravel soft,
Pebbles breaking under heel,
And with each misstep, each missed chance,
The slipping earth felt more real.
I’d tell myself, “It’s just a phase;
Things will settle, sure as sand,”
But every step brought sinking deeper,
Pulled gently down by an unseen hand.

It’s a steady slide, not a sudden fall,
A stretch and pull of a fraying thread.
Days melt to nights, months slip by,
And dreams that spark grow dim instead.
I pawned my hopes in pieces small—
A ring, a coat, a watch, a pen,
The marks of life turned into coin,
Gone for less than I paid back then.

 Spawned in a lab from space rock DNA. Now it's missing.

 "Life Form" - Bahamas AI Art

©A. Derek Catalano

 

 

Lab Escape

 

Part 1: The Discovery

On a remote tropical island, nestled among lush palm trees and dense vegetation, a secret lab concealed itself from the world. Funded and operated by the U.S. Secret Space Investigations, this lab was no ordinary research facility. In the dimly lit, high-security labs, scientists experimented on DNA from meteoric rock fragments that had hurtled through space and landed on Earth. Months of splicing alien DNA into Earth-based organisms produced strange, new life forms, some of which, though grotesque, had fascinating potential for research. But one day, one of these creatures—a hulking, sinewy beast with twisted, sinewed limbs, and red, piercing eyes—escaped its containment.

The lab, bound by secrecy, scrambled to handle the escape internally, but it was too late. Out in the wilderness, it would wreak havoc on anything unfortunate enough to cross its path.

Nebular Dancers

 

"Nebular Dancer" - Bahamas AI Art

©A. Derek Catalano

"Nebular Dancer" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano

Sun, Sand, Sea

 

"Sun, Sand, Sea" - Bahamas AI Art

©A. Derek Catalano

"Sun, Sand, Sea" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano

Knowledge Is Power

 

 "Island Learning Tree" - Bahamas AI Art

©A. Derek Catalano

 

 

Knowledge Is Power

In shadows deep where silence reigns,
Where ignorance binds like heavy chains,
There lies a spark, unseen, unheard—
The mighty force within a word.
A world awaits in quiet sleep,
Where secrets ancient, hidden deep,
Rest patient in the tomes of time,
Enshrined in verse, preserved in rhyme.

To seek, to know, to understand,
Is to hold creation in one’s hand;
The power dormant in a page
Awakens thought, dissolves the cage.
The written word, the spoken tale,
Through ages vast, across the veil,
Transcends all fear, all doubt, all loss,
Its wisdom raw, a hidden gloss.

For knowledge cuts, a double blade,
It builds, it breaks, it heals, it fades;
It stirs the mind to question why,
To lift the low, to reach the sky.
Empires born, and empires fall,
By minds that dared to know it all;
By vision fierce, or vision flawed,
A single thought, by wisdom awed.

 

 "King and Queen" - Bahamas AI Art

©A. Derek Catalano

 

 

The Ahanta People and Ghana: Historical and Current Connection to The Bahamas

 

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Overview of the Ahanta People
   • Location and Ethnic Origins
   • Language, Culture, and Social Structure
   • Economic and Traditional Practices
3. Historical Background of Ghana and The Ahanta
   • Early Ghanaian Kingdoms and the Gold Coast
   • The Ahanta Kingdom and Its Role in Regional Politics
   • The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in the Gold Coast
4. The Bahamian Connection
   • Overview of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and the Ahanta Enslavement
   • Transport to the Bahamas and Integration into Bahamian Society
5. Cultural Legacy and Influence of Ahanta People in The Bahamas
   • Retained African Traditions and Beliefs
   • Language and Linguistic Influence
   • Music, Dance, and Spirituality
6. Current Ties Between Ghana and The Bahamas
   • Diplomatic and Cultural Relations
   • Ghanaian Diaspora and African-Bahamian Identity
7. Conclusion

---

1. Introduction

The history of the Ahanta people of Ghana and their connection to The Bahamas is a powerful story of resilience, cultural retention, and identity. This report explores the complex history and enduring influence of the Ahanta in The Bahamas, tracing back to the trans-Atlantic slave trade and its lasting legacy in Bahamian society. Through an examination of the cultural contributions, shared values, and current relationships between Ghana and The Bahamas, we uncover the deeply rooted connections between these two communities.

Columns of Atlantis

 I was in the Cable Beach area this morning. Nassau, Bahamas.

 

"Columns of Atlantis" - ©A. Derek Catalano

Download full size: 3979x2835

"Columns of Atlantis" - ©A. Derek Catalano

Download full size: 3974x2349