Questions in Jamaican Patois - Reviews

 Book reviews are so nice. It shows that readers took that extra step to let the author (and the world) know how they feel about a book. It is a very thoughtful gesture that authors appreciate. Even when they are not glowing reviews, they are beneficial and help authors to perfect their craft. 

I am happy to share this link to some reviews so far of my second poetry collection, Questions in Jamaican Patois. If you have read the collection but have not yet written a review, I would love to hear your thoughts, and thanks in advance!

Questions in Jamaican Patois by Yasmin Morais – Finishing Line Press

Spotlight on Haiti's Poets - Oswald Durand

  Haiti's poets have contributed so much to Caribbean poetry. I have featured in the past the work of Rene Depestre. In addition to Depestre, other famous Haitian poets include Jennifer Celestin, Danielle Legros Georges, Lenelle Moise, Dany Laferriere, and Oswald Durand. I am sure there are many more Haitian poets whose works I am still to discover. 

I would like to share the work of Oswald Durand in this post. Durand was born in 1840 and died in 1906. One of his poems, Choucoune, has a fascinating history. The poem praises the beauty of a Haitian woman, Marie Noel Belizaire, with whom Durand had a romantic relationship. Written in Haitian Creole, it became so popular that Michel Mauleart Monton composed a song from its lyrics. Eventually, it was translated to English as Yellow Bird. Many Caribbean singers, and Arthur Lyman made the song even more popular, with variations in translation and lyrics from the original poem by Durand. And so, this original poem just kept giving and giving and taking on new iterations. 

Below is the poem in Haitian Creole:

Dèiè yon gwo touff pingoin

L'aut'jou, moin contré Choucoune ;

Li sourit l'heur' li ouè moin,

Moin dit : "Ciel ! a là bell' moune !"

Li dit : "Ou trouvez çà, cher ?"

P'tits oéseaux ta pé couté nous lan l'air...

Quand moin songé ça, moin gagnin la peine,

Car dimpi jou-là, dé pieds-moin lan chaîne !"

Choucoun' cé yon marabout :

Z'yeux-li clairé com' chandelle.

Li gangnin tété doubout,...

- Ah ! si Choucoun' té fidèle !

- Nous rété causer longtemps...

Jusqu' z'oéseaux lan bois té paraîtr' contents!...

Pitôt blié ça, cé trop grand la peine,

Car dimpi jou-là, dé pieds moin lan chaîne !

P'tits dents Choucoun' blanch' com' lait'

Bouch'-li couleur caïmite ;

Li pas gros femm', li grassett' :

Femm'com' ça plai moin tout d'suite...

Temps passé pas temps jodi !...

Z'oéseaux té tendé tout ça li té dit...

Si yo songé çà, yo doué lan la peine,

Car dimpi jou-là, dé pieds moin lan chaîne.

N'allé la caze maman-li ;

- Yon grand moun' qui bien honnête !

Sitôt li ouè moin, li dit :

"Ah ! moin content cilà nette !"

Nous bouè chocolat aux noix

Est-c'tout çà fini, p'tits z'oéseaux lan bois ?

- Pitôt blié çà, cé trop grand la peine,

Car dimpi jou-là, dé pieds moin lan chaîne.

Meubl' prêt', bell' caban' bateau,

Chais' rotin, tabl' rond', dodine,

Dé mat'las, yon port'manteau,

Napp', serviette, rideau mouss'line...

Quinz' jou sèl'ment té rété...

P'tits oéseaux lan bois, couté-moin, couté !...

Z'autr' tout' va comprendr" si moin lan la peine,

Si dimpi jou-là dé pieds-moin lan chaîne...

Yon p'tit blanc vini rivé :

P'tit' barb' roug', bell' figur' rose ;

Montr' sous côté, bell' chivé...

- Malheur moin, li qui la cause !...

Li trouvé Choucoun' joli :

Li parlé francé, Choucoun' aimé-li...

Pitôt blié ça, cé trop grand la peine,

Choucoun' quitté moin, dé pieds-moin lan chaîne !

Cà qui pis trist' lan tout ça,

Cà qui va surprendr' tout' moune,

Ci pou ouè malgré temps-là,

Moin aimé toujours Choucoune !

- Li va fai' yon p'tit quat'ron...

P'tits z'oéseaux, gadé ! P'tit ventr'-li bien rond !...

Pé ! Fémin bec z'autr', cé trop grand la peine :

Dé pieds pitit Pierr', dé pieds-li lan chaîne !

Bruce St. John - Barbadian Poet

 Bruce St. John was born in 1923 in Barbados. After completing his high school studies at Combermere Secondary School and Harrison College in Barbados, he pursued further education at the University of London, the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto), and also a Masters in Spanish at the University of Toronto. In addition to being a poet, St. John was a concert singer, physical education instructor, and a lecturer in Spanish at the University of the West Indies. 

Among his works are two EPs, and two print works, although he also contributed to several anthologies. Like many Caribbean poets, St. John chose to write in both dialect and formal English, and this captured the authentic and lived experiences of Barbadians. Below are his most noted works:

The Foetus Plains (EP) 1972

The Foetus Pleasures (EP) 1972

At Kairi House, 1972 (with a revised edition in 1975)

Joyce and Eros and Varia. Yoruba Press, 1976

Edward Kamau Braithwaite contributed to this article in Encyclopedia.com   in Bruce St. John's life and accomplishments, and it includes a few samples of his poetry. In the entry, Bruce St. John also provides comments on his writing style and process.

I would love to hear your comments on Bruce St. John's works so please let me know if you have met him, read his books, or listened to his EPs.