Read Yuh Ting 3

The third time is a Charm. “Read Yuh Ting 3” Poetry Contest was again hosted by the West Indian Women Network (WIWN) and PlentyTalent.com. This edition saw 9 contestants from across the Caribbean including Barbados, the Virgin Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago. Once again the standard of delivery was very high proving the art form of poetry in the Caribbean is pulsing.

Due to the high standard the eventual outcome was two first place winners by way of BVI’s Linette Rabsatt with her reading of “Never Ending Eargasm” and Carlana Tasha Neverson with a sharing entitled “Shoulda, Coulda”.  New comer Michael Jefferson also from the BVI placed third. Delivering a piece called “I Blame Myself. As usual the event also included a People’s Choice winner which was voted by the live audience. Linette emerged as the audience favourite on the night. The prizes for the event were courtesy WIWN, PWES, Plentytalent.com, George Rampersad, Vanessa Farrel, GPA, eSpearaTT, Aquatica Survival Swim School, Caribbean Book Marketing Hub, A Better Life, Trinidad Weddings, WZYE and, House of Lilac Publishing.  

Here is a sharing of one of the winning poems.

SHOULDA, COULDA 

I KNOW THERE ARE TIMES WE MAKE MISTAKES 

AND WE OFTEN PUT OUR LIVES AT STAKE  

BUT IF PEOPLE REALLY STOP AND THINK BEFORE THEY ACT 

HOW BETTER OFF OUR CHANCES OF DISAPPOINTMENT WOULD BE 

WE WONT HAVE TO REGRET, AND FEEL ASHAME 

SO THAT SHOULDA COULDA GETS THE BLAME 

WE CALL THEM SO OFTEN 

THEY SHOULD BE POSTED ON BILLBOARDS,  

STARRING BOLDLY FOR ALL TO SEE 

AND THEY SAY MONKEY KNOWS WHAT TREE TO CLIMB 

BUT WE LET OUR GAURDS DOWN TO THE WRONG FOLKS SOMETIMES 

AND AFTER WE VENT THEY DROP THE BALL 

SO LIKE HUMPTY DUMPTY 

SHOULDA, COULDA TAKES THE FALL 

IT’S LIKE GOING TO A MALL JUST SPENDING IT ALL 

AND RISKING YOUR BILLS JUST FOR THE THRILL 

NOW SHOULDA, COULDA COMES TUMBLING DOWN LIKE JACK AND JILL 

I NEVER KNEW WE COULD USE THOSE PHRASE SO OFTEN, 

BOTH INFORMAL AND CONTRACTED 

WAITING FOR THEM TO MAKE AN IMPACT SO WE CAN THROW A PITY PARTY…..LIKE PLEASE FEEL SORRY FOR ME. 

DON’T ACCOMMODATE THEM IN YOUR LIFE 

IT’S A SET UP FOR A SET BACK 

PEOPLE WE HAVE TO BE WISE BECAUSE THAT FEELING IS NO SUGAR AND SPICE 

AND ONE THING YOU NEED TO KNOW IF YOU DIDN’T KNOW 

THEY ARE A TRIO 

AND THEIR FRIEND IS WAITING TO SPEND A WEEK OR TWO IN YOUR HEAD 

WOULDA IS HIS NAME AND I’M SURE YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH HIS GAME, HE’S NOT FRIENDLY, 

HE IS AN EXAMPLE OF MISERY LOVES COMPANY 

HE WILL WAG HIS FINGER LIKE A SCHOOL MASTER  

MAKING YOU FEEL HE COULD HAVE DONE MUCH BETTER 

AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT,  

SHOULDA, COULDA, WOULDA IS NOW YOUR MANTRA 

PUT THEM ASIDE, LEARN FROM YOUR PAST 

LIFES LESSONS ALWAYS MAKES US STRONGER 

THESE EXPERIENCES ARE FUEL FOR THE FUTURE 

NO MORE SHOULDA, COULDA, 

REARRANGE YOUR VOCABULARY SO THAT THEY WILL NOW BE HISTORY. 

© CARLANA TASHA NEVERSON  

SEE The Event  CLICK HERE