Posted on 02/10/2004 10:24:30 AM PST by JennysCool
EVEN THE very heavens saluted Bob Marley on his 59th birthday.
Bunny Wailer had just finished praying for his fellow original Wailer, saying that "Bob is a special individual created by the Most High", the birthday cake had been cut and Rastaman Vibration was rocking easy from the sound system at 10:07 p.m.
Then an arm went up and a finger pointed to the sky above 56 Hope Road, St. Andrew in the direction of Papine. More arms and fingers quickly followed and there was a gathering chorus of roars, much like a wave building to a peak as it rushes to shore.
There was a large red, green and gold aureole around the moon, which was shining through very light cloud cover.
Upturned faces filled with awe took in the sight, even as Bob Marley's voice singing it's a new sign, oh what a new day filled his last earthly home.
The bright full moon was at the centre, its radiance fading to a pale yellow, this in turn surrounded by a band of red. The green was to the outside and, surrounding it all, the black of the night sky punctuated by stars.
Cries of 'Jah!' filled the air and percussionists in the courtyard added their drumming to the vibration.
Then the aureole went.
There was a hum of wonder in the large crowd even as many kept an eye skyward, where the moon was framed in the gap between a large mango tree and an imposing coconut tree, just in case the mystic happened again.
And it did.
Rastaman Vibration was still on the turntable, but as almost everybody in the courtyard of 56 Old Hope Road turned face, an arm and finger to the red, green and gold around the moon, the selector went to Natural Mystic.
The crowd roared and rocked as one, as the song crept in and then sang as one with Bob that there is a natural mystic blowing in the air.
And it went again.
The buzz of chatter filled the courtyard again, with many hopeful glances being thrown at the moon as discussions over what had just happened took place. There would not be another third 'sighting', however, as the moon arced its way serenely across the firmament like a glow painted coin for the remainder of the event.
Hours later one of the final performers for the night, Ky-mani Marley, paused to put the sight in perspective while singing fox. "I truly see a natural mystic tonight. An we give tanks fi know dat His Imperial Majesty is real an him grace us wid him presence," Kymani said.
So to speak.
Nah, mon, is jus' Janet Jackson. Don' worry about a ting.
I'd hate to see the large.
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