Roadtown Races

When I was 20
I lived on a barge
in Roadtown, BVI.
for awhile.

One day I heard about
the Races and had to go
It was a hot day
in December, 1968.

I swam ashore
clothes held over my head
to keep them dry
and dressed on the beach.

I hitched a ride to the Races
Thinking about free food and drink
and fancy people with
fast horses.

I walked the last 2 miles
dry, coral dusty throat
parched but waiting
for a cold one.

There were no fancy people,
no fast horses,
no food and nothing to drink
for me.

It was Sunday
and everyone from town
was there
and then, there was me.

The only white boy
in a crowd of happy blacks
laughing, singing, and having fun.
I was ashamed of my thoughts.

I turned around
and walked back to my beach
undressed and swam home
to my barge.

I never told this story before
because of what I thought
and why I did what I did
and I am sorry I did not
walk up and meet those people.

Tom Crowley, 1/23/2011
about a day back in
December, 1968
on Tortola, BVI