The Impressions / Expressions of the Lion Queen

About the Book

This book was put together from a catalogue of poems and it was not an easy task selecting the right ones, having done so, the writer has managed to include something for everyone, from both religious and non-religious backgrounds. Please note, most of the manuscripts written in this book are early works of ‘The Lion Queen‘, and are within a proximity of twenty to twenty-five years old. The idea of putting a book out is not new. The writer has attempted to publish her work from the mid-eighties, and between 1995-1996 sent some of her poems to various publishers but was unfortunate not to have any of her work published. Having said that the writer has under no circumstances given authorisation to any other party to use or publish her work except for the current publisher. The “Impressions/Expressions of The Lion Queen” is a catalogue of experiences put together and designed through observation and by sheer creativity. This is a book of word, sound and power and is a must in every household, irrespective to your race colour, class or creed. If the author has touched but one soul then her job has been done, and having said that, it is clear that The Lion Queen would like to reach out to as many people as possible. Thank you all for your support.

About the Author

I was born in Montserrat, in the West Indies, where I was raised by my grandmother, who taught me family values and traditions, and to appreciate Nature and the essence of the land. My grandmother played a very important role in my life and was inspirational in the development of my spirituality and awareness. She was not only highly spiritual but she was also a natural herbalist and a mountaineer as she spent a lot her time in the mountains gathering fruits, vegetables and herbs which she used to treat or cure specific ailments. I came to England in 1970 when I joined my parents and attended the local school in West London. Schooling here was very different in that the system, by which we were taught, was different from that of the Caribbean as I found it very difficult to remain focussed and I also had problems adjusting to the climate. At the age of fourteen, I found myself worrying about what I was going to do when I left school, as a majority of my friends already knew which direction they would take. Having said that, I knew that I was here for a purpose and that I had important works to do but I just did know then what this would entail and I can recall a conversation with my career’s officer during which I told her “I do not need the educational system to do what I have to do.” Two years later a friend of mine introduced me to a Rastafarian who introduced me to another Rastafarian and these two brothers taught us about Rastafari and the teachings thereof. We met regularly with a circle of friends who also wanted to study the teachings of Rastafari and we formed a study group where we concentrated on learning black history. I learnt and studied about the contributions and the input made by African people internationally and was therefore better equipped to cope and deal with the alienation and isolation that I experienced after coming to a foreign country. Having learnt more about discipline and knowledge of self, I started writing poetry as I felt that I could express myself better. I can remember the first two lines of the first poem I wrote, “Oh Babylon red, gold, and green is thy threat, Jah shall come up against thee like a lion comes up against fear.” Unfortunately, I no longer have that poem because I threw out bags of written works as I did not take my writing seriously and I never thought that I would make a career out of writing. I enjoy all forms of music to mention but a few: African, Reggae, Soul, RnB, and Gospel. My hobbies include writing, reading, tennis, and walking, exploring natural resorts and horse riding. I must say that learning about Rastafari helped in the moulding and shaping of a mind that was destined to create.