SAVE THE CHILDREN: POEM BY JOEL SAVAGE

The dangers surrounding children mining gold in Ghana



"Save The Children" is a poem written by JOEL SAVAGE

The poem was selected by the International Library of Poetry, through "Poetry.Com" and published in a book named "TRACING THE INFINITE." 


Copyright@2004 by the International Library of Poetry as a compilation.

SAVE THE CHILDREN

Deep in my sleep, I could hear the children crying.

On the streets, I could see them begging.

On the desert, I could see them thirsty, fighting to survive.

Why do parents bring them into the world to suffer?

Let's save the children. They are more precious than diamonds.

Let's save the children.


Deep in my spirit, I feel restless. I could hear the children wailing.

They are looking for their parents killed in wars and ethnic conflicts.

Down in my soul, I feel miserable. I see desperate children eating from the trash.

Some turn to junkies and juvenile criminals, because of neglect.

Let's save the children. They are assets to national development.

Save the children. Don't neglect them. @

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American copyright conventions. No part of the book in which this poem was published and the poem its self, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, electronic, mechanical, or by other means, without written permission of the publisher.


The book "Tracing the Infinite" is proudly manufactured in the United States of America by
Watermark Press
1 Poetry Plaza
Owings Mills, MD 21117.

x

Greed is the stumbling block to world peace- Joseph Hill

Joel Savage interviews Joseph Hill, the lead singer of the group Culture

POLE-POLE FESTIVAL-GENT- BELGIUM (2004) BY JOEL SAVAGE

Down in Jamaica, where Garvey comes from, many groups and musicians started in the early seventies, as the mighty Joseph Hill of Culture. But they are nowhere to be found today. 


Like the spirit of the Lord upon Joseph Hill, for the past 30 years, nothing at all could stop him from spreading his message against war, oppression, crime, discrimination, poverty, racism, corruption and injustice. 

Last year, 2003, he came out with "World Peace" seeking peace worldwide and rejecting war totally through music. On July 25, 2004, after performing live, he granted this interview to "The Voice Magazine" Belgian correspondent. Joel Savage.

TV: I have to call you Sir Joseph Hill. Let's rally round Jehovah's throne, I have some few questions to ask you today.

Joseph: You are welcome. (Then he smiled)

TV: It was in the seventies I heard of Culture. Can you please tell me what has inspired you to be in this hard music industry for all these years?

Joseph: It's Jah (referring to God) that gives me the strength. Always feel that there is something watching out for me. For myself, I love to play for the people. They are also part of my inspiration. That's what has inspired me through all these years.

TV: You have been singing all your life about corruption, oppression, discrimination, war, poverty, and so on. Were you a victim of such things in any circumstances?

Joseph: There are people I saw in comparison to various countries. Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! I have seen those things through political reasons. I have seen people die and not a word of justice is been said. 

Think of the person's life. It is priceless. The last grief I had was this woman in Afghanistan, who is separated from her land. They treated her so bad that she and her sixteen-year-old child were eating grass. That was my last grief. (Joseph moved with sorrow spelled the word grass "G R A S S" grass)

TV: Your lyrics and beats in every song of "Culture" touches and moves everyone on the road of trials and tribulations. Where do you get such wonderful rhythms and lyrics from?

Joseph: The big man that rules the earth. (He laughed) He is the governor.

TV: You were in Sierra Leone on two occasions, when the war was at its peak, with brutal activities of the rebels. Did your visit create any impact or change your view on the suffering masses in the country?

Joseph: Yes my visit brought a change. When people saw me, they didn't know what to say. They just cried and cried. You know, the rebels told the government that "You should be glad Joseph is here. If he wasn't here, this place would be destroyed within 24 hours. I just came back from there a few weeks ago.

Joel: I learned that in the capital Freetown, at the guest house you lodged, there is a tree nearby and every morning a bird came to sing, and out of the song of the bird, you composed a song from it. Is it true?

Joseph: Yes it's true.

Joel: On July 4th, 2004, I interviewed Lucky Dube, he told me that as a friend, you are one of the best men in the music industry. How do you react to this nice compliment?

Joseph: I take it easy. That's it.

Joel: I ask the same question to any reggae artist I interview. Reggae music is loved by everyone. But why is it that the music is given less recognition?

Joseph: Because the truth is God's friend but not a lot of people are friends of the truth.

Joel: You are following the Palestinian and the Israeli conflict for a very long time, and you have even visited the Gaza Strip. Who do you think is the stumbling block to the peace everyone is seeking?

Joseph: Greed, greed and greed because there is enough to satisfy every man's need but never enough to satisfy no man's greed. So greed is the stumbling block.

Joel: In one of your music, you played a song against Yasser Arafat, as the stumbling block.

Reggae interviews

Joseph: He made himself like that. He has to change his ways and the other man would change his ways. There is something called “Repentance”. When repentance meets their hearts, we shall have a beautiful world.

Joel: You successfully came out last year with the remarkable “world peace” album. What message do you still have in mind for your numerous fans worldwide?

Joseph: You know people should respect one another. To be used, abused, refused and our hearts trampled by fear and living in doubt, thinking we are living on top of the world. No, we shouldn’t live that way. We have to seek happiness, love, mutual respect, joy and justice of God around us, and peace would find its rightful place.

Joel: Thank you very much for this interview Sir Joseph Hill.

Joseph: Thanks be to Jah

Read other interviews of Anthony B, Andrew Tosh, U-Roy, Prince Malachi, Julian Marley, ASWAD, Femi Kuti, Seun Kuti, Tutu Puoane and many others in ‘The Passion of Reggae and African Music.

http://www.amazon.com/Passion-Reggae-African-Music-ebook/dp/B013L9A1JQ

JOSEPH HILL OF CULTURE STORMS BELGIUM

Joseph Hill, lead singer of the group called 'Culture'




The group Culture, with lead singer Joseph Hill doesn't need to convince reggae fans worldwide, the show they can put up when it comes to performing live. 


In the past thirty years, Joseph Hill's tunes against oppression, corruption, slavery, discrimination, racism, poverty, injustice and war, has won him an ovation, recognition, and respect in the field of reggae globally.

On July 25th, 2004, at Gent, the artists' program reads that the group culture plays from 11pm till 1am. Before 10.30pm, the crowd have swelled up at both sides of the river banks, waiting to see Joseph Hill, "the humble African to cast one stone for world peace." 

At 11pm, the Culture group wasn't on stage yet. The crowd became a bit nervous.

The message has already got in that the bus the group were traveling with from Germany to Belgium, had a mechanical problem on the way, which actually caused the delay. At 11.30pm, the stage is already set. 

From nowhere emerged Joseph Hill in military boots, ready for action. With happiness and joy, the crowd gave him a thunderous welcome. Joseph Hill backed by Albert Walker and Telford Nelson didn't delay at all to give the people what they want, taking most of the songs from the "LIVITY LIVE CULTURE 98" album.

Tunes like "Love shines bright", "Mount Zion", "See dem a come", "Jah Rastafari", "Iron sharpeneth iron" and hosts of sweet melodious tunes that made the group what they are today. He was awesomely sizzling on stage and had fans screaming for more. 

There weren't enough places for the fans to dance, yet the music can't stop them from dancing their hearts out. After about an hour of continuous play, Joseph asked the crowd "Anyone who wants peace should raise up the hand"

Almost everyone responded positively. "I'm going to play "World Peace". He said. The title track of his new album released in 2003. A song Joseph is telling the world in a strong message that "We can't take another war, we want world peace." 

There were shouting and yelling which created a pleasant atmosphere of happiness for everyone. Joseph Hill retired an hour and half, after an amazing breathtaking performance.

But unbelievable, the possessed crowd wouldn't allow him to leave the stage. They yelled for more music. Joseph Hill would always do his best to entertain his fans. 

He took to the stage again and played three additional tunes. It was a natural instinctive feel when Joseph Hill thanked the fans for inspiring him to give them what they want.

https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Reggae-African-Music-ebook/dp/B013L9A1JQ?

The fall of Apartheid, I knew I was part of it in some way - Lucky Dube

Interview of Lucky Dube at Pole-pole Festival on July 4th, 2004, (Belgium) By JOEL SAVAGE



Lucky Dube is no doubt, one of the best reggae artists the world has ever produced. His strong dissemination of melodic messages about racism, exploitation, and oppression has won him an acclamation all over the world. 


On July 4th, 2004, in Linkerover-Antwerp, after playing live he granted this exclusive interview to the Voice Magazine Belgian Correspondent. Joel Savage

TV: When you started music at a young age, did you ever dream that one day your music will be much accepted by reggae fans worldwide today?

Lucky: Well I have an idea. Really this was a dream for me. I wanted it to be like that, even though I wouldn't have a clear vision as to know how big it can be. But I have an idea I wanted the music to reach people everywhere in the world.

TV: Many fans think that you are another Peter Tosh in the field of reggae, with strong lyrics of liberation. How do you react to this credit?

Lucky: It's a very great honour really because Peter Tosh was the greatest musician that ever lived and so I respect him so much and to be given the same stage as he is a great honour to me. I do really appreciate that.

TV: On one of your albums "Soul Taker" there is a special track called "Teach the World". Please, what inspired you to write such a great song?

Lucky: Well "Teach the World" started actually because when we go round, there are a lot of things that we see and people from different countries, different cultures and everything. But only to find out that people don't know much about Africa. 

They have some mis-speculations about Africa and just wanted people to teach each other. People in Africa must teach the outside world about their culture, beliefs and everything and wanted the outside world to teach Africa about their culture.

TV: You fought against apartheid in your songs. How did you feel ten years ago, to see apartheid falling like the Berlin wall in 1989?

Lucky: It was great because it was the biggest dream I had at that time. So I was very happy when it finally happened. I knew I was part of it in some way. So I was very happy when it happened.

TV: You played in Washington DC on September 20, 2000, with Joseph Hill's Culture. What was your experience with that group, since Joseph's message in the music, is in line with yours?

Lucky: Well it has been great with Joseph Hill. You know I have done many concerts with him. He is one of the good men in the music industry.

TV: Being a South African, you have visited many African countries, have you ever visited war-torn countries like Sierra Leone and Liberia, since you have thousands of fans over there?

Lucky: Yes we have visited those countries.

TV: That's great to hear that;

TV: Reggae in jail, reggae in church, everybody likes it. That's a true statement by you. But why is it that reggae music is given less attention than any other music. Is it because of its strong message?

Have a copy of this great book to read the interviews of your favourite reggae and African artists.

https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Reggae-African-Music-ebook/dp/B013L9A1JQ?

THE EXOTIC PERFORMANCE OF LUCKY DUBE

The Great Lucky Dube

The fully air-conditioned bus carrying Lucky Dube, the famous South African-born reggae star, his manager Mr. David Jacobs and the entire musical group arrived at the premises of the festival at Linkeroever-Antwerp. 



There was another group playing on stage and Lucky has to perform after them. He arrived on time. He sat in the bus for about thirty minutes and suddenly he came down in a grey leather cap, covering his dreadlocks, a pair of blue jeans and black shoes.

He went straight to the make-shift cafeteria and asked for some hot water. They couldn't provide him. He was directed to the next place. There he had one for his tea. I followed him humbly and said, "Sir I have an appointment to interview you." 

"Who did you asked for the interview?" Asked Lucky Dube "Els please" I responded. Lucky identified the name immediately as the lady who has the program of all the artists who are performing at the festival on July 4th. "I will do the interview after performing" Said Lucky. He went back into the bus.

I stood at the back of the stage for about thirty minutes and Lucky came out again. This time, he has a different attire on, signifying that it is time to go and do what he likes best to put up a musical show. 

In a long sleeve light cotton black shirt and the same kind of material for the trousers, I followed him as he walks towards the platform. Lucky didn't walk straight to the platform. He grabbed one of the iron bars of the platform, holding close to it and moving his body in gymnastic movements.

During the short period, Lucky did that, my instinct told me that he was praying before going on stage. He did it in a way that nobody could see or barely understand what he was doing. As he climbed up the stage, a thunderous scream of love, devotion, and happiness greeted him. 

He grabbed the microphone and serious reggae business starts. Lucky's Peter Tosh style of voice was like a magnet pulling everyone behind the stage to dancing.

Lucky Dube Live -War and crime


He sang a couple of his old songs like "Money money money" taken from the album "Soul Taker" But things went different ways when he sang "One people different colours." 

The people were filled with mixed feelings of sadness and joy. I saw some weeping, swinging their hands in the air. Some carry bands with bold inscriptions "Lucky We Love You." "Lucky Dube welcome to Antwerpen" etc. I have never seen this anywhere before.

Get a copy of 'The Passion Of Reggae And African Music' to know more about this great musician who was brutally killed because of his car. 
https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Reggae-African-Music-ebook/dp/B013L9A1JQ?