NATURE

NATUREBy H.D CARBERRY

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Hugh Doston (Dossie) Carberry was born July 12, 1921, the son of sir John Carberry, a former Chief Justice of Jamaica, and Lady Georgina Carberry, in Montreal, Canada. He came to Jamaica in infancy and spent most of his life there. He had his primary education at Decarteret school in Mandeville, Jamaica and then attended Jamaica College. After working with the Civil Service, to which he qualified as second out of over 100 applicants, Carberry went to St. Catherrine College, Oxford University, where he obtained his B. A. and B. C. L.. He read Law at Middle Temple and was called to the Bar in 1951, then returning to Jamaica to engage in private practice.

In 1954, Carberry married Dorothea, and they had two sons, Martin and John, and a daughter, Christine. In addition to his career in law, Carberry was a poet and gave outstanding service in the cultural field, being a member of the Managing Committee of the Little Theatre since 1951. A devout Christian, he was also a pillar of the Providence Methodist church as Class Co-leader. Carberry was Clerk to the Houses of Parliament from 1969-1978 and a member of the commonwealth Parliamentary Association. He was appointed Judge of the Jamaican court of appeal in 1978 and served for a decade. H. D. Carberry died on June 28, 1989.

Nature by H.D. CarberryWe have neither Summer nor WinterNeither Autumn nor Spring.We have instead the daysWhen the gold sun shines on the lush green canefields-Magnificently.The days when the rain beats like bullet on the roofsAnd there is no sound but the swish of water in the gulliesAnd trees struggling in the high Jamaica winds.

Also there are the days when leaves fade from off guango treesAnd the reaped canefields lie bare and fallow to the sun.But best of all there are the days when the mango and the logwood blossomWhen bushes are full of the sound of bees and the scent of honey,When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air,When the buttercups have paved the earth with yellow starsAnd beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone.

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SYNOPSIS

The poem tells of the weather conditions in Jamaica although it does not have the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. The weather conditions of golden sunny days and wet rainy days are just as good and are almost equivalent to the four seasons.

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6Literal Vs Figurative MeaningLine 1 -2Jamaican unlike countries with temperate climates, does not have 4 seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter.Line 1 - 2It may appear that we, who come from different races and places, do not have the same in life.We have neither Summer nor WinterNeither Autumn nor Spring7Literal Vs Figurative MeaningLines 3 - 5Jamaica has instead bright days when the weather is very hot and the gold sun shines brilliantly on the fields rich with green sugar cane.Lines 3 - 5However, we all do have good times when everything is bright and pleasant and things that bring joy in their own ways.We have instead the daysWhen the gold sun shines on the lush green canefields- Magnificently

8Literal Vs Figurative MeaningLine 6 - 9During rainy season, the rain falls heavily and beats with such force on the roof of houses.We can only hear the water rushing through the gullies.The trees have to struggles against the strong winds.Line 6 - 9At times, life is a struggle and we may face many problems.Life may not be pleasant anymore because the road ahead is full of obstacles. The days when the rain beats like bullets on the roofsAnd there is no sound but the swish of water in the gulliesAnd trees struggling in the high Jamaica winds.

9Literal Vs Figurative MeaningLine 10 - 12At other times, trees shed their leaves and the field are left bare.Line 10 - 12At times, life is a struggle and we may face many problems.There will be times when certain things go beyond our control and we have no choice but to let them be.Also there are the days when leaves fade from off guango treesAnd the reaped canefields lie bare and fallow to the sun.

10Literal Vs Figurative MeaningLines 11 - 15The best days are when Earth is alive again.Fruit trees, like the mango and logwood, bloom and the bushes are full of bees and the fragrance of honey. The grass grows tall and moves to the slightest breeze. The field are covered with yellow buttercups that look like shinning stars and nature bursts with beauty after rainy days have gone.Lines 11 - 15But we will also get the chance to experience the best times of our life. We have go through bad days in order to appreciate the good days.When these good moments occur, everything goes right and we enjoy life to the fullest.Then, we realize that everyone is actually getting the same things in life, only in different ways.But best of all there are the days when the mango and the logwood blossomWhen the bushes are full of the sound of bees and the scent of honey,When the tall grass sways and shivers to the slightest breath of air, When the buttercups have paved the earth with yellow starsAnd beauty comes suddenly and the rains have gone.

11WORDMEANING LushHealthy growthMagnificentlyWonderfully, grandly, beautifullySwishThe sound made by moving waterGulliesChannels cut out in the earth by persistent rainfallStrugglingFighting to survive; moving with great physical effortFadeLose their colourFallowLeft bare (in order to recover natural fertility)pavedCoveredVOCABULARY

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