We Are Caribbean

WE ARE THE CARIBBEAN
COUNTRIES AND ISLANDS
CONNECTED BY THIS VAST BLUE SEA
PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT RACES
RELIGIONS AND CREEDS

WE ARE THE CARIBBEAN
A GREAT MELTING POT
BRED FROM SLAVES, COLONIZERS
MERCHANTS, INDENTURED LABORERS
AND INDIGENOUS TRIBES
CULTURALLY WE ARE SO DIVERSIFIED

WE SPEAK ENGLISH, FRENCH
SPANISH AND DUTCH
PATOIS AND CREOLE
OUR LANGUAGES EMBODY
THE NEW AND THE OLD

WE ARE THE CARIBBEAN
OVER 26 NATIONS STRONG
LET ME NAME A FEW
AS THE LIST IS LONG

WE ARE GUYANESE, BARBADIAN
BELIZEANS AND JAMAICANS
PANAMANIANS, HAITIANS AND GRENADIANS
CUBANS, DOMINICANS, AND ANGUILLANS
WE ARE THE NATIONS OF ST. VINCENT
MONTSERRAT AND MARTINIQUE
WE ARE COUNTRIES, SMALL AND LARGE ISLANDS
WHICH MAKES OUR REGION UNIQUE

WE HAVE MOUNTAINS, VOLCANOES AND TOURIST RESORTS
WATERFALLS, HEALING AND HEALTH SPAS
TOP NOTCH SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES
WE ARE KNOWN FOR OUR DIVERSITIES

WE HAVE MANY HISTORICAL SITES
WE TRADE TOBACCO, SUGAR AND BANANAS WORLDWIDE
ALS0 OIL, CEMENT, ALUMINIUM, AND BAUXITE
OUR EXPORTS ARE OUR NATION’S HIGHLIGHTS
WE ARE THE CARIBBEAN
WE ARE FUN AND SPORTS
WE ARE CRICKET, LUDO AND DOMINOS
SOCCER, NETBALL,TRACK AND FIELD
WE ARE VERY COMPETITIVE WHEN WE COMPETE

WE ARE THE CARIBBEAN
WE ARE DANCE, TALENT, AND BEAUTY CONTEST
FESTIVALS AND CARNIVALS
AND FETES

WE ARE JERK CHICKEN, CURRY GOAT
CALALOO, ACKEE AND SALTFISH
OXTAIL, CONCH, ROTI
ROAST YAM AND FRIED FISH

DANCEHALL, STEEL DRUMS AND JUNKANOO
CALYPSO AND SOCA
WORLD RENOWNED REGGAE
MENTO AND RUMBA

WE ARE THE CARIBBEAN
OUR TRAILBLAZERS ARE EVERYWHERE
MARCUS GARVEY, SHIRLEY CHISHOLM
SYDNEY POITIER

HARRY BELAFONTE, LOUIS FARRAKHAN
THE RASTAFARIANS
MIGHTY SPARROW, BOB MARLEY
SEAN PAUL AND SHAGGY

WE HAVE TRADEMARKS
SUCH AS BLUE MOUNTAIN COFFEE
CUBAN CIGARS AND APPLETON RUM
WE ARE MARKETED FOR TOURISM AS
WHITE SAND BEACHES AND SUN
WE ARE DEFINITELY THE REGION FOR
PARTYING AND FUN

WE ARE THE CARIBBEAN
UNITED WE STAND
WE ARE THE CARIBBEAN
OUT OF MANY WE ARE ONE

WRITTEN BY: CHARMAINE ALLWOOD HANSON 06/22/2021

Photo by Leonardo Rossatti on Pexels.com