Scott Smith: “Another Candle Is Lit”

“Another Candle is Lit” is a poem penned by community activist Scott Smith, who has been involved with the recent candlelight vigils held both in memory of murder victims as well as to call for an end to gun violence. The poem speaks of shootings, not being able to say goodbye, and then lighting another candle.

One passage of the poem says, “This was the song our forefathers had chanted, We shall overcome some day, and we did, but now we’ve lost our way. We blamed the white man for our dilemma. Tell me, what color was the man who pulled the trigga.”

The candlelight vigils are being organised by the group ‘Colfords Family Against Violence’, which was formed after 29-year-old Colford Ferguson was murdered last month. The family said they “decided that we as a community need to take a stand and come together to put an end to this senseless violence that is plaguing our small island.” This group has so far organised three vigils in memory of murder victims; the Colford Ferguson Vigil, the James “Junior” Lawes Vigil, and the Jahmiko Leshore Vigil.

Mr Smith has read the poem at the last two vigils, it follows in full below:

Here we are once again as with some too weak to stand so they must sit as we huddle together and another candle is lit. Not because it’s too dark and we can’t see. How long will this go on?

Another one shot, now gone – this can’t be. Another candlelight vigil we must hold in remembrance of our loved one whom we just told “love you, honey, brother, dad or son, talk to you tomorrow”, but now the tears keep falling – nothing but sorrow.

Didn’t get to say farewell. Now this sad news our children we must tell. So here we are once again as with some too weak to stand so they must sit as we huddle together and another candle is lit!

Who would have dreamed it would come to this as we remember our loved one whom we surely miss. As we look to place the blame everyone saying just don’t call my name. This is a wicked monster we have created. They are seeds we have planted.

This was the song our forefathers had chanted, “We shall overcome some day”, and we did, but now we’ve lost our way. We blamed the white man for our dilemma. Tell me, what color was the man who pulled the trigga, go figure.

So there we are once again as with some too weak to stand so they must sit as we huddle together and another candle is lit.

- ©George Scott Smith

The group has two more vigils planned in this week; this coming Saturday [Apr.2] there will be a vigil at Victor Scott School field at 7:30pm, in memory of Kimwandae “Biggs” Walker, who was gunned down in front of his two young children during a Good Friday kite flying event last year.

The following day [Sunday, Apr.3] there will be a vigil at 7:30pm at Woody’s in Sandys, a date which coincides with the birthday of Freddy Maybury, who was murdered on June 14, 2010 in the same location.

Everyone in the community is welcome, and encouraged, to attend the upcoming vigils.

#BermudaPoetry #ColfordsFamilyAgainstViolence #Shootings

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