Activity: Poetry recital
Host: Moray House Trust
Date: Friday 28 February 2014
Ras Michael Jeune is one of Guyana’s most versatile and enduring artistes. He has been involved in the arts for over 40 years. A published poet and writer, he is also a storyteller,
teacher of drama and theatre director. He edited Survival, a literary magazine, and published Black Chant as well as, more recently, several of his own collections.
Video Clips
Introduction:
Ras Michael Jeune, poet, dramatist and writer, is well known to Guyanese from many walks of life. In this lecture, he gives a personal guided tour of the development of Guyanese poetry over time spiced with anecdotes about many of the poets and he draws our attention to some poets whose work has faded from the limelight.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/yPZdj0932qw
1: Egbert Martin (‘Leo’)
Egbert Martin, also known as ‘Leo’ was a bedridden poet whose work was first published in the nineteenth century and, more recently, by the Caribbean Press. Leo Martin worked within the traditional form of poetry. Ras Michael reads The Almshouse in this clip.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/qOoHc2RaHgA
2: A.J Seymour
A.J Seymour was a household name and a towering literary figure in Guyana. Ras Michael gives a personal account of his discovery of Seymour’s work and reads I, Anancy.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/hcBnA1ZZwjA
3: ‘University of Hunger’
Martin Carter’s epic poem, University of Hunger, which has the status of an anthem among some groups of Guyanese, is recited by Ras Michael Jeune in this clip.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/DM3-HJ4X1gg
4: ‘Not I with this Torn Shirt’
Another of Martin Carter’s famous poems as read by Ras Michael.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/Leyh-dDBE1U
5: Wordsworth Mc Andrew
As Ras Michael shows, Mc Andrew’s poetry represented a break with the traditions of poetry in Guyana and introduced more vernacular rhythms and subject matter. Ras Michael reads Ol’ Higue in this clip.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/iXopsNVYCfw
6: ‘Expressions’ and ‘Pavements’: Poetry Groups in the 1970s.
‘Writing is most times a solitary job’ observes Ras Michael. In the seventies though, he identifies three active poetry groups in Guyana (one in Annandale and two in Georgetown), meeting, reading and publishing poetry. The group ‘Expressions’ published several volumes of poetry and included poets such as John Agard, Marc Matthews, Mark Mc Watt and Terence Roberts. The group ‘Pavements’ included Malcolm De Freitas, Ernest Perry and Vincent Bourne and published two collections of poetry, First Ball and Holler Hard.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/ji3h81gOno4
7: John Campbell
The late John Campbell, a former Assistant Commissioner of Police, was also a poet and dramatist. Ras Michael reads one of his poems in this clip.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/0OhhoFlsIlQ
8: Rooplall Monar
A member of the Annandale group of writers, Monar became a noted writer and poet. Ras Michael reads Babu.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/qtj_Hm31Z1Q
9: Syble Douglas
Syble Douglas is one of a number of voices featured in the publication New Writing Today published in 2012 and edited by Terence Roberts. Ras Michael reads Random Harvest.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/Q62k3TYSN8s
10: Ivan Forrestor
Painter and poet, Forrestor came from Manchester Village on the Corentyne. His first publication, A Voice from Cuffy’s Grave, had a cover designed by Stanley Greaves, an introduction by Denis Williams, an end note from A.J Seymour and the following endorsement from Martin Carter: “To be a poet is to be able to make a judgement. Faro is a poet.” Ras Michael reads a tribute poem to Farro the Poet by Paloma Mohamed.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/LSc51f1mBR4
11: Marc Matthews
Marc Matthews is an actor, writer, performance poet and broadcaster. Ras Michael talks about the Kingston workshop and reads Matthews’ poem, Language in this clip.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/9HEsFyLL9W4
12: Vibert Duncan
Ras Michael reads Playground by poet Vibert Duncan.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/c-gxjlO636M
13: ‘Stone’, a dub poem by Ras Michael Jeune
From an old-time saying: ‘Stone dey the bottom ah de river, He nah know how dee sun hot up top.’
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/uPq69LK7Rdo
14: Klickity Klack on Brooklyn Streets
A dub-poem by Ras Michael Jeune.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/oEu-o0g9Z5g
15: Questions and comments from the floor.
Members of the audience including Joan Cambridge, Marilyne Trotz and Malcolm de Freitas made comments at the conclusion of Ras Michael’s lecture.
You Tube Clip: http://youtu.be/QIM4wfGlE60