WILMA SEVILLE

This poem was done for the occasion of the World Day of Prayer.  I was the guest speaker at this event which took place March 1st, 2008 at St. Paul's Presbyterian Church.

In order to get this information, I was fortunate enough to interview a few Guyanese Canadians.

There were 80 people in attendance on that cold and blustery day in 2008.  In contrast to our Canadian weather, it was nice to be able to talk about a warmer climate!

This poem was also published in Silver & Gold magazine in that same year.

I hope you enjoy it.  I usually write free verse style and this is one of my very rare rhyming ones.

Guyana

My name means “Land of Many Waters”

Given to me by my native sons and daughters.

My soil is rich and fertile

Which makes planting very worthwhile

Fruit, sugar cane, and rice are grown

Eggplant, cassava, pineapples are well known

Gold, diamonds and aluminum boxide

Deep within my bowels does reside

Christians, Hindus and Muslims co-exist

Celebrating each others holidays with such bliss

Cricket, volleyball, football and boxing

Are all well known sports my people participate in.

In my rivers swim piranhas and crocodiles

Waiting patiently for an unwary cow

Boa Constrictors, tigers and leopards

From them you must be on your guard

My people are not rich in spite of my many natural gifts

Many barely manage to exist

Many of my people have left to work elsewhere

Sending money home to families, because they  care

I am Guyana, a land of many faces

Made up of many races.

WilmaSeville(c)2008