To Maurice and Bernard

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Grenada National Flag

Maurice Bishop and  Bernard Coard
                                                      To Maurice and Bernard
                                                    I heard the soldiers marching
                                                    I saw the guns coming
                                                    I thought of Cuffy
                                                    and Marcus
                                                   Of Martin and Malcolm
                                                   But it was too late
                                                   The people were confused
                                                   A white cloud descended
                                                    Consuming them all
                                                    A woman cried: “God bless America! “
                                                    A white mask smiled
                                                    at me
                                                   Taunting me, Bazooka in hand
                                                   Saying we can deal
                                                   with you Asshole revolutionaries!!!
                                                    The leaders met
                                                    A Black Napoleon and all
                                                    the best apples were eaten
                                                     At a ball
                                                    The waves carried the blood
                                                     back to the sea
                                                     I saw a “FLYING FISH”
                                                     He alone understood
                                                     What it meant
                                                      to be free.


William Skinner 1983
                                         

March 13th 1979; Government of Eric Gairy overthrown by the New Jewel Movement (NJM)
led by the People's Revolutionary Army. Maurice Bishop, a lawyer is installed as Prime Minister
of the new People's Revolutionary Government.

1983 Bernard Coard , Deputy Prime Minister, led a coup to overthrow Bishop and Bishop was killed.

1984 The United States invaded Grenada and effectively ended the Revolution. "Democratic"elections were held.

Note: General Hudson Austin led the government through the Revolutionary Military Council but this was short lived.

Needless to say, many Caribbean governments opposed the Grenada Revolution. The main opposition came from then Prime Minister Tom Adams of Barbados and Eugenia Charles of Dominica.

Many Caribbean nationalists saw the failure of the Grenada Revolution as perhaps the last chance for a radical change of governance in the Caribbean. Bernard Coard was blamed for the implosion of the Revolution. To this day , Maurice Bishop is still idolized by progressive forces in the region.


                                                    






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