He stood upon a rock
A shepherd, watching over his flock,
His right-hand salute shielding his eagle eyes
Observant, his wiry frame, straight and erect
For Anguilla’s freedom he would give his life
Anguilla’s revolution he had pledged to protect.
He stood upon a rock
His stare across the hazy straits
Over the ocean to the South East
Toward St. Kitts, were they coming?
Whitlock was ousted, he left in great haste
Now Webster waited, watched, wondering.
He stood upon a rock
He knew they were coming, you see
Word had come, Antigua was the assembly.
Blood surged, anticipation, nerves strung high
Our revolution’s demise charted by the unknown
Events separated only by the ticking of the clock.
He stood upon a rock
A boulder tossed up from the raging sea
His pedestal forced upon defenceless Anguilla,
Limestone, coral, stunted shrubs in red earth.
Would the invading forces turn the soil even
redder?
How long would they stay, and where would
they berth?
He stood upon a rock
Anguilla lay heavy on his mind
Where would they land, and at what hour?
Could he resist the troops when they came
ashore?
What would happen to this band of pioneers, to
Anguilla?
Could the people’s resolve defeat Britain’s
military power?
He stood upon a rock
Birth document near his heart,
Scanning as far as the eye could see,
Republic of Anguilla, he mused, must be free!
Its journey, its people, its song proclaiming its
new start,
We’re out to build a new Anguilla, from the rags
of history!
He stood upon a rock
His feet planted firm, no retreat, absolutely!
From domination of any form our people must
be free.
Let them come! Let them come! They will see!
We have a Council, manage our ports, our
Treasury
Our people must forever manage their own
destiny!
He stood upon a rock
Battleships were on their way
Though he knew not the date nor time of day.
Without communication, matters could go
astray.
The French invaders had been defeated centuries
before,
Could Anguilla’s Napoleonic armory bring victory
once more?
He stood upon a rock
The Revolution must not be forced off track.
He’d tightened his resolve, he had ordered his
troops,
“We’re prepared,” to the media, “But won’t spill
a drop of blood”
The people were determined, there would be no
turning back,
Britain must respect the people’s decision, “Hold
Strain! No Slack!”
He stood upon a rock
The men had guarded her shores well, indeed,
Now divine protection was Anguilla’s greatest
need.
He scanned the ocean over, only ripples could
be seen.
Harold Wilson’s troops and London Bobbies to
intervene?
“Well,” he chuckled, “I’ve got a message for the
Queen!”
He stood upon a rock
Patriotism personified, his head held high,
His heart was on Anguilla, his eye on the clock.
Solid was his stance, his faith was just as firm
The time of reckoning was surely drawing nigh
He thrust his arms up to his Master, his gaze to
the sky.
He stood upon a rock
On that day the eighteenth of March
“Oh, they’re not coming, maybe another day”
We must protect Anguilla, we must! Come what
may.
One last glance over his shoulder, he took to his
feet
Homeward bound, Island Harbour, to his family
retreat.
By God! Next morning, before the break of day
Fateful day, March nineteenth, nineteen sixty
nine
Those who weren’t sleeping, eyes glued to the
sky
Saw that it was raining leaflets, helicopters
hovered high.
“The British are coming,” the warships had
docked,
He knew for what he was looking, when he stood
upon a rock!
On Christ the solid Rock he stood
“Stand up, Stand up for Jesus” his song,
Red Devils, not stronger than His Blood.
Green Berets, could not kill the revolution,
Britain’s might, could not stop the noble fight
Of the mouse that roared, in that battle for the
right.
Now he’s entombed upon a rock
Overlooking Ronald Webster’s Park
He did his very best, brought his people out
Into the light, from centuries dreary and dark.
Rest on, James Ronald Webster, “Father of the
Nation”
Well done, thou faithful servant, Anguilla’s
greatest son!
Diane Hodge Smith and Timothy Hodge are a sister-brother pair teaming up to produce this poem. Diane began writing the poem shortly after the death of their uncle (brother of their mother Olive Hodge), the “Father of the Nation” Ronald Webster on December 9, 2016, on the eve of the commencement of 50th Anniversary Celebrations of the 1967 Revolution which he led. Diane has been doing extensive research into the Revolution with ambitions of writing a book about it, while Tim is a historian, genealogist, and poet, who also plans to publish his several works. Diane’s theme “He stood on a rock” was based on the photograph of Webster standing on a rock scanning the horizon anticipating the British forces’ invasion on March 19th, 1969, and the plans to place his body in a mausoleum “upon a rock” overlooking Ronald Webster’s Park. It was Tim who had proposed that final resting place “on the rocky outcrop overlooking the park that bears his name and where his words galvanized his people into action”, and it was he who Diane turned to collaborate with in completing the poem. Their thoughts and words intermingle in united effort, representative of the unity of the Anguillian people without which the Anguilla Revolution could not have succeeded.
