In my latest book, A Poet Speaks of Empire, I praise Dawes' ability to "write a growing torrent of a poem" which "inspires wisdom and a knowing only he knows." Dawes has the remarkable ability to breathe life into ordinary words and to inspire reflection with each evocative lyric. Even in his prose, his language is so very precise and thoughtful. This much is evident in books, Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius and poetic works like Midland.
I chose to highlight Dawes in my book, not only because he was born in Ghana and seems to have retained an inspiring sensibility and respect for where he comes from, but because of his determination to preserve a perspective on Jamaica which is altogether unique and somehow fragile. In the halls of academia, Dawes is one of the few who respect reggae as an aesthetic that needs to be examined and understood. In many ways, I understand why he writes and is so prolific. He seems to aim to write the books that he wishes to read himself and finds far too few of in the halls of libraries and bookstores.
I wrote A Poet Speaks of Empire for just this reason. I have been unable to find many books that reflect on the current political and economic developments in the whole of Africa in recent years. No doubt, current events are being written about. In the years since independence, there have been a plethora of African authors writing about the promises and the challenges faced in the immediate post-colonial era. International publication of such authors seems to have waned in recent years. I have had difficulty identifying more contemporary authors who speak of the hopes and concerns I touch upon in my latest book.
Kwame Dawes has a new book out entitled, Duppy Conqueror, after a title of a song by Bob Marley. I have not read the book yet, but based on the reviews I have read, Dawes continues his commitment to promoting a pan-African awareness.
"Live Hope Love" (http://www.livehopelove.com/#/home/) is a stunning example of Kwame Dawes' work and commitment to issues facing the African diaspora. On the site, rich poems accompany gritty photography which present the face of HIV in Jamaica in recent years. The poetry that you will find on this site documents the courage and challenges that many Jamaicans deal with in the face of this epidemic. Check out the site and do not miss poems like triumphant "Nichol," who cries, "Man must live/ Man must live." Dawes notes that in all Nichol's smiles and in the persistence of his will, he "is the posture of survival."
In my work, I owe a debt of gratitude to poets and authors like Kwame Dawes, who have blazed a path for authors documenting and reflecting on the experiences of people in the vast African diaspora.
It only seems appropriate to cite the words of Franz Fanon, a thinker on the frontier of the Negritude movement: “Our history takes place in obscurity and the sun I carry with me must lighten every corner.”
