The Island Today: Montserrat Nice

Montserrat Nice (Arrow)

Montserrat Nice

‘It’s rebuilding time
All Montserratians abroad

Nobody go run me / Way from me country
Here me go stay ’til kingdom come
Sometimes she shake and rumble / Act up now and then
But paradise go settle down again

I love every hill and gully / Every ghaut, stream and valley
She’s still my Emerald City / Montserrat nice, nice, nice

Despite the danger / We held our fort together
So you have a place to come back to
How could you desert / Paradise on Earth
Montserratians don’t know what this land is worth

I love every hill and gully / Every ghaut stream and valley
She’s still my emerald city / Montserrat nice nice nice

Still nice, Oye
Still paradise, Aye
Still nice’

– Extract from Song 'Montserrat Nice' by Arrow

The Cudjoe Head Festival celebrates the diverse background and rich culture of Montserrat. Credit: Karen Pascal / MVO. Date: 04/08/2012

Nice

‘Montserrat nice
still paradise
in spite of the fall
of the tall mountain –
if you are fixed with wings
like angels;
and there are saving graces:
the isle is full of noises
from ancient drums of masquerade
and the constant din
of battle over british aid
the list of shortages
is shorter now;
and you can readily access
toilet paper from the not so friendly
wharf in allied antigua;
carols and calypsoes compete
in dead heat for the king;
babies are born to provide us
with more mouths to feed
and more books hard to read;
politicians still get elected via ballot;
words wound and kill
but they are not exactly bullets.

Montserrat nice
still paradise
in the imagination
of poets and calypsonians
in search of life
with painless rhymes.’

– 'Nice', poem by Sir Howard Fergus Extract from 'Volcano Verses' (People Tree press, 2003)

5. Volcano island

Montserrat Is A Paradise

The Island Today

East

The North

The Volcano & Belham

West (Plymouth)

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2. Moving, Crossing and Leaving

Thank You

2000 +

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7. Voices from overseas

Living in the UK View >

5. Volcano island

The Island Today: Living With Our Volcano

2000 +

The Island Today

The Volcano & Belham

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5. Volcano island

The Island Today: Volcano Vibes

2000 +

The Island Today

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3. Everyday moments of life and laughter

Storytelling & Being Together

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

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2. Moving, Crossing and Leaving

I Just Can’t Runaway

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

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8. Timelines

Fire From The Ashes: Montserrat’s Literary Timeline

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000 +

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7. Voices from overseas

We Thank You View >