Poetry Society of Jamaica

IN the Amphitheatre Tuesday, September 24 we celebrate Miss Lou featuring Amina Blackwood Meeks - award-winning Writer, Actress, Storyteller and Founder/Artistic Director of Ntukuma - The Storytelling Foundation of Jamaica.

Join us beginning at 7pm, The Amphitheatre, Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMC) ...

Tuesday August 27 in the Amphitheatre, Edna Manley College, we hail an icon of Dub Poetry Michael 'Mikey' Smith, a skilled poet who chanted against oppression, violence and would be pulled from this earth by the very same elements he challenged, 40 years ago now.

We are still learning from Smith's work today, from his example as an individual and we continue to be challenged by his haunting calls to action that remain as relevant today as they were 4 decades ago. Join us on Tuesday beginning at 7pm.

This month we are pleased to present the official public launch of Last Reel, the latest poetry collection by Prof. Emeritus Mervyn Morris, published by Ian Randle Publishers. Join us on July 30th beginning at 7pm at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMC) .

In the amphitheatre Tuesday, June 25th we take a trek with emerging talents coming out of the 2024 UWI Poetry Clash Competition including Jayda Pitter, Kiseon Thompson and DeAnna Fraser.

Join us from 7pm at the Amphitheatre, Jamaica School of Drama, Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, 1 Arthur Wint Drive, Kingston.

You're invited to join us for our 35th Anniversary Fellowship, Tuesday, May 28, 2024 beginning at 7pm with open mic and discussions and featuring poet, playwright, actor, broadcaster 'Blakka' Ellis [Owen Ellis].

Join us in the Amphitheatre of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, 1 Arthur Wint Drive in Kingston.

The Poetry Society of Jamaica's Monthly Fellowships are hosted on the last Tuesday of each month.

Congrats to Ishion Hutchinson on the reissue of his debut collection Far District by Farrar, Straus and Giroux , a stunning new cover too.

Give thanks for the congrats on ‘School of Instructions’ being shortlisted for this year’s Griffin Poetry Prize. I am stunned—happily—and grateful to be included among such marvellous poets on the list.

In other wonderful news, my first collection, ‘Far District,’ will be reissued later this year by FSG. As some of you know, it was first published in 2010 in the UK by Peepal Tree Press and edited by the maestro Kwame Dawes: no words, no words at all can convey my heartfelt thanks to Kwame for the care he has shown me and my work over the last *gasp* twenty-one years.

In equal measure, turn thanks to my editor at FSG, the great Jonathan Galassi, for the years of kind support and care.

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Little book, again set forth.

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(And how about this incredible cover art by my brilliant friend, Nadia Huggins?)

TONIGHT

Coming to the amphitheature this April 30th, Poet Laureate of Jamaica {2021-2024} Olive Senior. Join us from 7pm at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMC) School of Drama Amphitheatre for live readings, discussions and featured presentation for our featured poet Olive Senior. Bring your best new poems for the open mic.

This way to the St. Mary Literary Festival this weekend...

We have another multi-talented writer in our midst, thanks Kwame (he's on one of the panels too!) From the different sizes of text, it looks like Kwame has adopted us in St. Mary...

Coming to the amphitheature this April 30th, Poet Laureate of Jamaica {2021-2024} Olive Senior. Join us from 7pm at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMC) School of Drama Amphitheatre for live readings, discussions and featured presentation for our featured poet Olive Senior. Bring your best new poems for the open mic.

In the Dennis Scott Studio Theatre, Tuesday, March 26, we host the launch of Neto Meeks' poetry collection I'm a Hero. Join us from 7pm for a vibrant Open Mic & Discussion segment.

Join us Tuesday, February 27, 2024 as the Poetry Society of Jamaica pays tribute to Ibo Cooper, a founding member of the iconic Third World Band and a stalwart of the Edna Manley College of the Visual & Performing Arts and Jamaican music culture at large.

Join us on Tuesday, January 30 for our first fellowship for the 2024 season as we celebrate the life and work of Prof. Emeritus Edward Baugh.

Introducing The ACKEE POD(CAST) - Interviews with Writers, hosted by Yashika Graham and featuring acclaimed poet and essayist Ishion Hutchinson premiering today, January 8th at 5pm EST. Set your reminder, subscribe to the channel and tune in for the premiere at 5.

Ishion Hutchinson on Craft, School of Instructions & Rewriting History | The Ackee Pod(cast) - Ep 1 Nominated for the T. S. Eliot Prize for his latest poetry collection School of Instructions, poet, essayist Ishion Hutchinson takes us on a trek through his ...

We are deeply saddened by the recent passing of a man who could only be described as a giant among us. Professor Emeritus Edward Alston Cecil Baugh, Professor Baugh, Eddie Baugh or “just plain Eddie” as he put it, was an acclaimed poet, critic, educator, actor and orator. As a poet he was serious about craft and marked by the insightful, theatrical, clear and often comedic voice in his work. He was a generous educator in and outside of the classroom and has been a nurturer of generations of West Indian thinkers and writers, continuing to lend his guidance well beyond his retirement.

Professor Baugh was among the first featured guests when the Poetry Society of Jamaica was launched in May, 1989 and continued to be an ardent supporter of our efforts throughout the years. Among our most recent features with Professor Baugh was the launch of our 25th Anniversary in January of 2014 where we dedicated the fellowship to celebrating this great man and his work. Still, no celebration feels quite enough; we simply could never fully repay his generosity. He has blessed and transformed us with his life and work and helped us see ourselves on the page and out in the world.

We send our love and sympathies to his wife, Mrs. Sheila Baugh, their family, friends and the Department of Literatures of English, University of the West Indies, Mona and the wider UWI and global community at this time. We thank Mrs. Baugh and their family for sharing Prof. Baugh with us and for accompanying him on many of his outings as he continued to contribute his knowledge and wisdom throughout the years. We remain indebted to Professor Baugh for his immeasurable contribution and innovation in critical thought and creative output and will continue to learn and grow from his many gifts to us.

We give thanks, Prof. Walk good…

The Poetry Society of Jamaica

This Friday, December 15 beginning at 7pm, join Ishion Hutchinson as he reads from his latest poetry collection School of Instructions at F&B Downtown ... Poetry & Jazz Meetup with Ishion Hutchinson

This morning in Kingston, Dr. Lillian Allen reads and joins the UWI Department of Literatures in English in Conversation. That's 11am, December 10.

In the Edna Manley College amphitheatre this month we welcome poet, essayist, broadcaster Yashika Graham, now Honorary Fellow in Writing, University of Iowa International Writing Program.
Join us November 28 at 7pm (JA time), bring your freshest poem to share and discuss and hear from Graham's forthcoming poetry collection Some of Us Can Go Back Home and other new works.

Coming up inside our Fellowship this end of month: The launch of the Jamaica Poets Nomadic College & School Tour under the distinguished patronage of the Poet Laureate of Jamaica, Olive Senior.
Join us on Tuesday, October 31st at the Edna Manley College Amphitheatre beginning at 7pm. Bring poems.

Congratulations to Ishion Hutchinson on being shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot Prize.

Shortlisted TS Eliot prize poets speak to a disrupted world The 10 listed collections range from ‘zany intimacy’ by Sharon Olds to explorations of Black identity from Ishion Hutchinson and Jason Allen-Paisant

Guess who's coming to the Amphitheatre this month?

Generation NeXt...
That's right, we're ushering in the newest voices on the poetry scene on September 26 beginning at 7pm live from the Edna Manley College Amphitheatre.
Join us to witness the unfolding. Bring a poem and a friend.

The August monthly poetry experience hosted by the Poetry Society of Jamaica on the last Tuesday each month, paged another well received reading on Tuesday August 29. Over a hundred eager patrons made the pilgrimage to the Amphitheatre inside the Edna Manley College for this special staging as the featured poet was the event’s usual Fellowship Moderator Kacy Garvey.

The night kicked off at 7pm with its guest host Chantelle Lawes and the stage adorned by the paintings of featured visual artist Rajwayne Neufville . The signature percussion instruments were handed out to an audience that was re-christened the orchestra and who enthusiastically soundtracked the unique symphony of Paintings, Percussions and Poems.

After a charged open mic segment affectionately called “The Grill”, The Poet of the moment Kacy Garvey took to the stage and took the stage as her own. She took the audience on a delicately balanced offering ranging from distilled recollections of the middle passage through the deep roots of her religious convictions to the fruits of her intimate positions on a wide range of topics. After a rousing encore, the audience stayed and mingled with an excited sharing of hugs and literary observations.

The Poetry Society’s next monthly poetry experience dubbed GENERATION NEXT is scheduled for September 26 and will feature representatives of writers' clubs out of select schools from Kingston to Mandeville.