Caribbean Dozen

Description

Caribbean Dozen

Poems from Thirteen Caribbean Poets

edited by John Agard & Grace Nichols

(Walker)

Works from thirteen poets create Caribbean Dozen. These poems share glimpses of Caribbean markets, sounds, stories and flavours. Thereafter, we hear the language, for example in Valerie Bloom’s Chicken Dinner. Therefore:- ‘Don’ cook dat chicken feh dinner/ Don’ give Henrietta de chop…’ Like the other poets, Valerie Bloom introduces her selection with personal memories of the Caribbean and her introduction to poetry. It seems we can see what she imagines.  In The Runner:- ‘Swifter than an arrow/ Outrunning his own shadow./ Lighting the heavens of night.

Poets, other than the compilers, include Faustin Charles, Telcine Turner, John Lyons, James Berry, Frank Collymore, David Campbell and Pamela Mordecai. Marc Matthews, amongst his colleagues, takes us to the Caribbean, in Boats:- ‘my boat made from/ half a dry coconut/ skin.‘ Yet Opal Palmer- Adisa’s De More De Merrier suggests a situation with which we’re all familiar, however:- ‘nothing but rules/ not allowed/  to choose/ not allowed/ to decide for myself I guess/ the more the merrier/ only applies/ to relatives/ who come to visit/ on holidays’

Caribbean Dozen is a travelogue, like This is My World yet the poetry is rich, varied, informed and confident. Bookwagon is proud to present and recommend this super collection.