Sabbaths, WI

According to The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, “The single most important [Caribbean] poets of the 20th century were Derek Walcott [...] and Kamau Brathwaite, both ambitious, prolific poets and highly visible figures.” (Cushman, Stephen. Cavanagh, Clare. Ramazani, Jahan. Rouzer, Paul. The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. Princeton University Press, 2012). Both poets wrote epic poems—Walcott wrote Omeros, which was published in 1990, and Brathwaite wrote The Arrivants: A New World Trilogy, which was published in 1973. Walcott was from Saint Lucia, and Brathwaite was from Barbados. While Walcott was deeply influenced by British literature, Brathwaite focused on African elements of Caribbean poetry above British elements. However, both poets were inspired by T. S. Eliot and wrote plays in addition to poetry.

Aimé Césaire is another Caribbean poet who wrote epic poetry, as well as plays. Césaire was from Martinique and wrote in French, rather than English. He is known for his long poem Cahier d’un retour au pays natal (1939). Other influential authors from the Caribbean include Cuban poets Nancy Morejón, Jose Marie Heredia, and Gertrudis de Avellaneda. They wrote in Spanish and participated in revolutionary politics. Martin Carter is another noteworthy Caribbean figure, who hailed from Guyana and was involved in political activism. Jamaica is the home of dub poetry, which includes authors Linton Kwesi Johnson, Jean “Binta” Breeze, and Lorna Goodison.