Somewhere,
Underneath these poignant reminders
That things will never be the same,
I’m holding onto hope and memories
Of simpler, more meaningful times.
I remember one year
My grandmother’s pineapple plot
Bore twenty-seven pineapples,
All of them ripened at the same time.
“Too much to eat by ourselves,” she said,
And gave each neighbor three
(But I am afraid of simply greeting mine).
I remember that the village raised the child
With pride, and elders at the helm,
Doing their best to see
Good values safely hitch a ride to the future
(But I am afraid some did not make it).
One Internet, some smartphones, and a world health emergency later,
Culture’s pulse is weakening.
Her voice croaks faintly,
Still whispering words of recycled wisdom,
Still humming songs of heritage and history
(But I am afraid the youth aren’t listening).
Still, somewhere,
Underneath these poignant reminders
That these category 5 winds of change
Can rock entire generations,
Erase concrete footprints,
Dissolve the most pungent essences,
Swallow up my memories altogether,
I’m holding onto hope
That some things will remain.
I’m holding onto hope
That something will remain.
Alicia Lebruin is a 29 year old writer and poet from The Commonwealth of Dominica located in the Eastern Caribbean. From childhood, Alicia had the passion and desire to become an accomplished writer and she did everything in her power to get there. Over the years, Alicia has dabbled in journalism, content and copywriting and much more, ultimately building a diverse portfolio. Alicia is currently the CEO of The Write Way Writing Services, a writing company based in Antigua and Barbuda. One of her most famous poems Still Fighting- A tribute to lives lost due to racism was published by Cultural Weekly Online in 2021.