Lloyd H. Marshall Guyana Airways Captain (Retd.) and Jet Aviation Pioneer is the author of this poem titled “Guyana My Homeland”
The poem was composed in Ulyanovsk, USSR in October 1985. Ulyanovsk is located on the Western bank of the Volga river, 430 miles Southeast of Moscow. From August to December 1985, I attended a TU154 Pilot Training programme in Ulyanovsk, for certification on that aircraft. The aircraft was bought by Guyana from the aircraft manufacturer, Tupelov through the Russian agency Avia Export.
The new Tu154M aircraft bearing Guyana Airways colours and a Guyana registration 8R-GGA, was flown to Guyana via Bucharest, Romania, / Keflavic, Iceland / and New York, U.S.A., by Captains Ferdi and Jujatu of Tarom Airlines, Romania and Captains Crawford and Marshall of Guyana Airways. Incidentally, the Tu154 was the only Jet aircraft operated by Guyana Airways to carry a Guyana Registration.
“Guyana My Homeland”
In silent moments
Pleasant thoughts of you
Softly enfold me
With a divine tenderness
Only the warmth of your nearness
Can surpass.
I think of you and my heart
Beats strong and loud
Like a newly strung Congo drum
Sending messages of love
Oh listen! Here they come
If living with you means dancing
We’ll dance through life
In a rapturous embrace that knows no end
If living with you means walking
We’ll walk your length and breadth
From inland to coast
With arms wrapped snugly around waists.
Last night I dreamt of the Essequibo
Running long and smooth and silent
Like a serpent,
Flowing with its secrets to the sea.
Today I recall your living rapids
And Kaieteur cascading and rushing
And foaming and tumbling,
Forever I will remember your mountains and hills
Bold and erect as sentries to protect
Your stretching coastal plains.
And how can I forget your thirsty savannahs
Growing green with the seasons rains?
I live loving your freshness!
The nourishing freshness of your fruit
The unbridled freshness of your freedom
The air after rain freshness
Of your laughter and friendship.
I live knowing your poverty
And I share your adversity
But I kneel to your ground
And l feel your abundant wealth,
Your diamonds unearthed, exposed
Shining bright and unbreakable hard
Reflecting always:
Freedom! Freshness! Friendship.
