Blood Diamonds of the Lost Bazaar: A Novel by Rickey Pittman, Bard of the South

My new novel will be released this year. To give my readers and writer friends a little taste of some discoveries they will make, I’ve included a list of the epigraphs I’ve used to set a tone or to encourage thinking or personal memories. If you read my other novels and short stories, you already know that I am fond of using epigraphs. Most are directly under the chapter number, but a few of the Krio proverbs are also in the text as quoted by characters. I hope you will find the Krio proverbs as delightful as I did. The Krio language is English based and is Sierra Leone’s de facto national language. I encourage you to do an online search of Krio. At the end of my list of epigraphs, is a short video that will teach the basics of speaking Krio:

Chap: 1 When Diamonds are a Legend,/And Diadem—a Tale—IBrooch and Earrings for myself/Do sow, and Raise for sale—Emily Dickinson

Chap. 2 The song is done, the words remain.—Krio Proverb

Chap. 3 If you look into the bride’s face, you’ll know that the bride is crying.
—Krio Proverb

Chap. 4 People say I am ruthless. I am not ruthless. And if I find the man who is calling me ruthless, I shall destroy him.—Robert Kennedy

Chap. 5: I believe there is no sickness of the heart too great that it cannot be cured by a dose of Africa—John Hemingway.

Chap. 6 A stranger doesn’t know a bad road.—Krio Proverb

Chap. 7 The heart is not made of bone—Krio Proverb

Chap. 8 Enter quickly, leave quickly: If no one sees you, then ghosts will see you. There is always a witness.—Krio Proverb

Cap. 9 If a person isn’t used to dying, once he dies it will be hard to wake him.—Krio Proverb

Chap. 10 African art is functional, it serves a purpose. It’s not a dormant. It’s not a means to collect the largest cheering section. It should be healing, a source a joy. Spreading positive vibrations.—Mos Def

Chap. 11 If you are going to the hill to make a sacrifice for the devils there and you meet them on the way, will you still go?—Krio Proverb

Chap. 12 If you close your eyes to facts, you will learn through accidents.—Krio Proverb

A dance that makes a person poor, you nah forget the song.

Chap. 13 The memories we make with our family is everything.—Candace Cameron Bure

Chap. 14 Adoption is a journey of faith, from beginning to end. — Johnny Carr

Chap. 15 I’ve seen the future and it is murder.—Leonard Cohen

Chap. 16 A bad husband is better than an empty bed.—Krio Proverb

Chap. 17 If you’re not dead yet, you haven’t heard all the news.—Krio Proverb

Chap. 18 Songwriting is too mysterious and uncontrolled a process for me to direct it towards any one thing.—James Taylor

Chap. 19 Sometimes life gives you a second chance . . . It’s what you do with those second chances that counts.—Dave Wilson.

Chap. 20 A true friend is never truly gone. Their spirit lives on in the memories of those who loved them.

Chap. 21 I grew up among wise men and found that there is nothing better for men than
silence—Krio Proverb

Chap. 22 You can recognize a person’s tribe by the way he cries.—Krio Proverb

Chap. 23 The role of the artist is to not look away.—Akiro Kurosawa

Chap. 24 Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music. –Jimi Hendrix

Chap. 25 As you sell yourself, so the world will buy you.—Krio Proverb

Chap. 26 I can resist everything except temptation—Oscar Wilde

Chap. 27 The jealous are possessed by a mad devil—Johann Kaspar Lavater

Chap. 28 Without hearts there is no home.—Byron.

The turtle wants to box, but his arms are too short
Money in the hand, back on the ground.

Chap. 29 On the streets, unrequited love and death go together almost as often as in Shakespeare—Scott Turow.

Chap. 30 Stalking is a cruel and incessant crime with often terrifying consequences.
—Amber Rudd

Chap. 31 Salomé, Salomé, dance for me. I pray thee dance for me. I am sad to-night. Yes, I am passing sad to-night. When I came hither I slipped in blood, which is an evil omen; and I heard, I am sure I heard in the air a beating of wings, a beating of giant wings. I cannot tell what they mean—Oscar Wilde

Chap. 32 If they carry you on their back, you won’t know that the road is long.—Krio Proverb.

Chap. 33 When a cunning man dies, it’s a cunning man who buries him.—Krio Proverb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtMM6YzHdZM

“Orchids of the Everglades” by Rickey Pittman, Bard of the South

In the quiet of the mysterious Everglades,
Where there are no roads or footpaths,
I discovered many orchids,
Mother Nature’s Masterpiece!
Plants with beauty in this unexpected place,
Living on trees blanketed with moonflowers.
Orchids are millions of years old—colorful, showy and fragrant,
Exotic flowers finding nutrients in air and water,
Sought by tourists, authors, and orchid thieves.
I saw the Cowhorn, once removed by wagonloads,
With its unique stems, flowers, and fruits,
The Butterfly, with its small yellow petals,
The Clamshell, dark in color but
With white and yellow inside,
The Nodding Ladies Tresses,
A wild orchid with a distinct fragrance,
The Butterfly, with its small yellow petals,
The Longclaw, with brown spotted leaves,
The Grass Pink Orchid, bearing
Up to ten flowers on each plant,
The Fakahatchee Beaked Orchid, living on logs,
That suddenly appears when swamps are low,
And the elusive, and much sought Ghost Orchid,
With no leaves, but a large white flower.

Here’s a website on orchids you may enjoy: https://ntbg.org/everglades-orchid-conservation/

If I Were a Politician . . .

Nations are born in the hearts of poets, they prosper and die in the hands of politicians.—Muhammad-Iqbal

If I were a politician,
I could make myself rich,
I could get the media,
To make a biased pitch!

I could deny any obvious truth,
Put a spin on any fact,
I could even lie if needed,
To keep Trump from coming back.

I could give out lots of money,
To make people so dependent,
That I’d keep their votes forever,
And wipe out all dissent.

If I were a politician,
Soft on crimes I see,
Ignoring the growing violence,
As long as it avoids me.

If I were a politician,
I’d attend parties galore,
Mingle with rich elite,
And celebrities I adore!

High prices won’t bother me
Though others suffer from inflation,
Anyway, all the so-called problems,
Come from misinformation.

I’d praise the fact checkers,
Though often ignorant as can be,
They censor anything conservative,
And seem to hate our history.

I’d protect Ukraine’s border,
From attack by any foreign nation,
But leave our own border open
To a horrible invasion.
–2022 Rickey Pittman
Bard of the South

EPIGRAPHS FROM UNDER THE WITCH’S MARK by Rickey Pittman

An epigraph is a short quotation, phrase, or poem that is used at the beginning of a piece of writing that suggest a theme or suggest a mood or used to steer the reader’s mind in some direction. I like to use epigraphs in my writing, sometimes before every chapter in a book or novel or at the beginning of short stories or poems, directly under the title. Here is a list of epigraphs I used in my novel, Under the Witch’s Mark: (Ordering information is below)

I always take a chance. I can’t just play safe. Dancing on the edge of the precipice—Jimmy Page

Today, I felt pass over me a breath of wind from the wings of madness.—Charles Baudelaire

The female of the species is more deadly than the male.—Rudyard Kipling

The groves were God’s first temples.—Bryant

Part at once; all farewells should be sudden, when forever.—Byron

Hello, Satan, I believe it’s time to go.—Robert Johnson

Dreams are a world of the dead in the hues of life.—Felicia Hemans

Dressing the wound hurt. Everything that has happened to me since has hurt.—Herman Hesse in Demian.

A woman whom we truly love is a religion.—Emille de Giradin

Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, and the land was polluted with. blood.—Psalm 106:37-38

Here’s information on how you can order Under the Witch’s Mark!

https://booklocker.com/books/6377.html

January Blues (Song by Rickey Pittman)

We got the COVID,
We got the cold,
We got Cancel Culture too.

The taxman is coming,
Politicians have gone crazy,
We got the January Blues.

We got inflation,
Stores got empty shelves,
Churches have empty pews

More lockdowns in sight,
Masks are still required,
We got the January Blues

Virtual learning is forced on kids,
Schools are shutting down,
Why? We wish we knew.

We got some rescue money,
We are given many promises
We got the January Blues

Here is the Beatles video of “Taxman” written by George Harrison:

When I lived in Naples Florida for two years (80-82), I met and became friends with many in the Cuban community of South Florida. I found Cubans generally to be very devoted to family and possessing a strong work ethic. Here’s a few important anecdotes that I recall:

I interviewed one American (married to a Cuban) who was actually part of the Bay of Pigs invasion, sponsored and supplied by our government,  but after endorsing the initial landing, President Kennedy abandoned any support and the invasion failed miserably. The Cubans never forgave that betrayal and are to this day largely Republican politically, detesting the Democrats. My friend was one of the captured and spent time in a Cuban jail. His story was not a happy one.

One family that were members of my church were farmers who lived on the Isle of Pines. When Castro took power, their two boys were taken from them and sent to the state school for which education, which consisted of some classes and half a day’s work in the fields. One was drafted into the Cuban Army and sent to Angola. He was never heard from again. I wrote a poem titled, “They Took the Baby Away,” published in a political magazine entitled, Voice of Freedom. You can read the poem and more about this family HERE:

Once, I needed to pick up someone at the Miami airport. The night before, I attended a Church of Christ congregation in Miami and spent the night in the church building. I was so impressed with the members’ warmth and love and they gladly shared stories about their lives in Cuba.  I may add stories to this post from time to time. I’m searching for some photos to go along with the stories.

These are just a few of the stories I could share, but if you would like to read more,  I would recommend the following books:

1.  Freedom Flights: Heirs of the Cuban Revolution Tell Why They Grew Disenchanged with Castro, and How they Were Obliged. to Flee His Regime.
2. Los Gusanos: A novel by John Sayles.
3. Bay of Pigs: by Peter Wyden

   I lived in South Florida (Naples) for a couple of years and there I encountered and learned much about Cuba and the thousands who had managed to flee Cuba. Last night, I watched a Netflix movie,  WASP NETWORK, and this brilliant film revived many memories and feelings I had experienced as I worked among and with the Cuban community.  The 2019 film is based on a book, The Lost Soldiers of the Cold War: The Story of the Cuban Five, (a book I just ordered). Oliver Assayas wrote and directed the movie. Much of the dialogue is in subtitled Spanish. The actors’ performance (including Penelope Cruz) is amazing.  The plot is based on the lives and experiences of Cuban spies operating in South Florida in the 1990s.  There are no happy endings for the Cuban Five.

The film has several (sometimes conflicting) threads. The movie reminded me of the fierce hatred Cuban emigres held and still have toward communism and Castro, of the harsh reality of lives for those who live in Cuba and how their desperation to escape the miseries of communism is so great that they will risk everything and launch out on rafts to cross the 90 miles to America. The film reveals how the Cuban community plans and organizes rescues missions for those making the crossing.

More observations of the Cubans and my experiences among them in future posts. Here’s a video trailer for the movie!

Rickey Pittman

Killing Crazy Horse by Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard: A Short Review

by Rickey Pittman, Bard of the South

“How little it takes to bring out the bloodthirsty savage in each one of us.”
― Marty Rubin

“There are many humorous things in the world; among them, the white man’s notion that he is less savage than the other savages.”
― Mark Twain

Every since I was a boy, I have had a fascination with Native Americans. By the time I was fifteen, I had read every book about American Indians in the Bachman Lake Branch of the Dallas Public Library.  Fueled by reading these books and by the westerns on television, I memorized every fact I could, and their stories fueled my play,  imagination, and fantasies. I have an impressive collection of books related to Native American history and culture–including biographies, historical events, and languages including the Comanche, Creek, Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw. So, I was delighted to read Killing Crazy Horse by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. Having read several of O’Reilly’s books, I was not surprised to find this a good read, with many facts and thoughts that would prove useful to my historical Songs & Stories school programs, my reenacting events, my western novel and stories projects (hopefully, soon to be published), and in my college class of American literature.

The book is well-written, taking the reader through a fast-paced journey through America’s history with the Native Americans our founders met and encountered. From the Creek  Fort Mim’s Massacre (1813) to the surrender of Chief Joseph of the Nez Percé (1877), O’Reilly weaves an honest and often disturbing tapestry of Native American history. The character, world views, families, and lives of key players in this distinctly American drama–both American and Indian–are described, quoted and illustrated with details that are revealing and sometimes shocking. The reader learns that the Hollywood versions of America’s history and people are often glamorized and incorrect. The book has valuable footnotes, an excellent index, and a comprehensive bibliography.

I did discover one small historical error. On p. 111, the author has 1860 Texas Rangers armed with .45 -caliber “Peacemaker” pistols, instead of the 1851 Colt Revolver.  (The .45 Peacemaker was not in use until 1872.)

This is not a book containing the usual stereotypes. Many Native Americans in these wars often proved themselves to possess almost unbelievable cruelty. The torture scenes and violence they inflicted on other Native American tribes, Mexicans, and Americans, are horrifying. And the treatment Native Americans received from the hands of other Native Americans, Mexicans, Americans and the U.S. Government is just as shocking.

If you have an interest in a good overview of Native Americans and their wars, this is a book that will prove to be a valuable read.

I’ve always been fascinated with the world of the ancient Romans. I still remember my mom Jessie, and her friend Maxine, taking me and my brother and Maxine’s two boys to the drive-in theatre to view Spartacus. I was fascinated, and I still remember the sadness I felt at the ending when Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) dies. As a youngster, I read everything I could about the Roman Empire.

However, it later as an adult, studying the Bible in the seminary, that I learned about the Roman emperors, and again as was my habit and nature regarding things that held my interest, I read everything I could find about them–Tacitus, Suetonius, Ovid, Josephus, and others. I learned more about them by reading Fox’s Book of Martyrs, Persecutions of the Early Church (H.B. Millman),and The Early Days of Christianity  by F.W. Farrar. In my Biblical studies of Daniel and Revelation, I learned in prophecy how the emperors of Rome and their bloodthirsty empire would wage a war against Christians and the Church.

Recently, I obtained a copy of Michael Grant’s The Twelve Caesars. It was an interesting read. Grant is obviously well-read in the classics and sources and his careful research into the Caesars rewards the reader with important information and insights into these men who ruled the Roman world. Here are some of my observations on Grant’s book:

1. There were twelve caesars but only eleven emperors.Julius Caesar was the first caesar, but he didn’t quite make emperor, though I’m sure he would not have minded receiving that honor. The list of caesars ends with the reign of Domitian.
2. Grant shows how the Roman world, (like ours) suffered from political corruptions and intrigue. Sometimes the comparison to things happening in our world is uncanny and unnerving.  Grant also shows how each emperor handled the gift of “absolute power.”  One could easily use some of the accounts as a warning as how a republic can be destroyed by the greed and unbridled power of a ruling elite. Character and physical assassination, plots, military and economic disasters were threats an emperor were threats an emperor had to take seriously.
3. Though Grant avoids providing much information regarding the topic of Christian and Jewish persecution, he does provide interesting and little known anecdotes and facts about each emperor. Grant includes and comments on the strength and weaknesses of each emperor. Some proved to be efficient administrators, others were inept, and still others were madmen. Each chapter begins with a concise summary in italics of the caesar’s life. The list of emperors who followed Domitian would certainly demand their own book.
4. I was surprised by the amount of relevancy provided coinage and the stories those coins tell about the emperors. There are facts about the gladiatorial games, natural disasters that occurred, empire expansion through war and politics, and quirks of the emperors’ women. There are many references to poets and writers, advisors (some of whom were sycophants treacherous).  and There are also maps and 38 relevant photos.

Grant reveals the world of the Roman Empire, and that of the caesars themselves,  to be a martial world, where slaughter and brutality were meted out without mercy to any who opposed them. Grant’s book is a fine resource for any who study or make presentations regarding the emperors.

Rickey Pittman, Dec. 2021.

Here’s a poem I wrote followed by some videos of Country singers performing the songs mentioned: