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THE TIMIDNESS displayed by nine-year-old Marcia Dale during a Gleaner interview yesterday was far from her demeanour when she delivered the  winning dramatisation of a poetry piece on November 5 at the Peter  Gracey’s This is Jamaica Poetry Scholarship competition. 

Read More in The Jamaica Gleaner below

The Strength to Breathe

By Peter Gracey 

The greatness in Me is yet to come,
As long as I have the strength to breathe.
To know Myself and to know My worth,
Is to know My God indeed.
 

There’s no such thing as “I Can’t”;
There’s no such thing as fear.
Only False Evidence Appearing Real,
And the ones who do not care.
 

I will lean not to My own understanding,
And find what My purpose serves.
And trust in God and not in man,
While I experience My time on earth.
 

I am balanced and I am focused,
I was born to first follow then lead.
I will only love and never judge,
As long as I have the strength to breathe.

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The Peter Gracey This is Jamaica Poetry Scholarship was created for students in Jamaica to explore poetry as an educational building block, and to empower children to restore and preserve Jamaican culture through poetry, drama and the arts.

Video Record a Rendition of the poem “This is Jamaica” written by Peter Gracey (poem below.) Poem must be recited using the opening statement “This is Jamaica” by Peter Gracey.

All applications must be received by September 22th 2023 and renditions by September 30th 2022..

The winning candidates will be selected by Scholarship Selection Committee.

Questions about The Peter Gracey “This is Jamaica” Poetry Scholarship can be directed to thisisjamaicascholarship@gmail.com

Please see example of poem here - https://youtu.be/YBLUWhC_fqE

Eligibility: Applicants between the ages of 6 and 17 attending a primary or high school in Jamaica.

This is Jamaica

By Peter Gracey

This is Jamaica!

This is my country.

A son of this island,

A daughter of this land.

Fearless of fear,

I stand in awe.

Only love prevails,

Secured in God's hands.

This is Jamaica!

Where Joy cometh in the morn'.

Surrounded by mystic waters,

Crashing unto the shores - where only heroes are born.

Only if you knew Jamaica as well as I do...,

Then you would utter!

I love you Jamaica,

God knows, I Do!

This is Jamaica!

A simple speck in the universe.

Our hearts beat and pulse in every nation,

But only second to The Kingdom of God - We put Jamaica first.

I am Jamaican!

Regardless of where you may find me.

Black, Green and Gold is the marrow in my bones.

so If I die away from my island,

I pray to God, you'll take me home.