Hail yonder stars and shores, see a heavenly fallen pearl, a blister nature unfolds and measured much untold,
So many battles, so many wars, so many scars that marked who we were and treasured now for who we are,
The dawns of our past cannot be forgotten, the daylights of our future, our youth must be told,
No future of meaning, no quality of life beaming when generations of sadness and visionless care,
Are etched in the fabric of how we care for our brother, our sister, our mother or father.
Overwhelmed with natural disasters like famine and drought, our forefathers refused to move, or be sent scattered about,
Chained from the umbilical cord of commitment and bolted to the pillar of tenacity, the Pearl weathered the storm,
This unpolished diamond and corner stone rejection, birth rich and free a character of strength found in and out,
Undaunted by threats of negligence, rejection and a pending dawn of hopelessness, fear still had no shelter in our bosom,
We rise and we fight, anchored to our held dreams that we can win and guided by a hope lighted high above.
Nature preserved the Pearl, attract the curious, the friendly, the ambitious and sometimes the unfriendly,
Our long ethnic and cultural tradition still trapped in our genes, gives the unbridle salute to all who brave our sandy shores,
Our seize once limiting, our dreams once sealed, the glass ceiling reflects like a mirror, a future of uncertainty,
Now, still nestled but part of the global world, attached with a life line that good and evil flow,
Lessons taught and lessons learned, challenged but visionary wisdom must always see the Pearl grow.
How can I show I love the Pearl with its simple yet untangled natural beauty? With the sands of sparkling majesty,
And surrounding waters that unveil the zenith of nature at its best, breath taking, yes breathless with awe,
Love, kindness, caring and compassion, must consume our very soul, our mind and our daily thoughts with an envy,
One that preserves the Pearl for generations, not imaginary but real, not forceful but willing, we raise the bar,
Then Anguilla the Pearl, like a beacon will stand. Stands tall not like the giant Goliath but like David committed and bolted.
Like the sands of time, unmeasured and unnumbered, daunting the dirt and pebbled track our worn feet have trod,
When moonlight littered our darkness, children playing hide and seek, kerosene lit lanterns gave light to our homes,
So we celebrate, do we have reason to celebrate? A loud yes is our answer. We kept the plough tilling; we stood to the task,
Seeds planted for generations, life lessons taught to last and dreams nurtured today for the fruits of tomorrow,
Anguilla at 50, no idle moment to spear, generations are waiting, listening to follow.
Still preserving the Pearl, just a young fifty from birth, a mile stone achieved, deep gratitude our hearts as we celebrate her worth,
The flip of a switch, paved roads that are lit, running water now common, car tire shoes no longer, name brand shoes on our feet,
We have come so far, our tomorrow unseen and unknown, but today we must, a chance to better our past.
And when the tomorrow comes, let us not get weary in doing well our part, tired but together standing tall,
Anguilla at fifty, the Pearl at fifty, wear it proudly, she is costly and one size fits ALL.
Written by: Dr. Lindel H. Brookes 2016. Unpublished.
