La scrittura di Lorna Goodison approfondisce il tessuto della cultura e della storia giamaicana, ottenendo riconoscimenti per la sua ricca immaginazione e la sua voce risonante. Intreccia magistralmente narrazioni personali con contesti sociali e storici più ampi, creando opere che sono sia intime che universali. I suoi contributi letterari esplorano temi di memoria, identità e le profonde connessioni tra passato e presente. Attraverso il suo stile distintivo, Goodison invita i lettori a confrontarsi con esperienze umane complesse e eredità culturali.
In her first-ever collection of essays, poet and novelist Lorna Goodison
interweaves the personal and political to explore themes that have occupied
her working life: her love of poetry and the arts, colonialism and its legacy,
racism and social justice, authenticity, and the enduring power of friendship.
As read on Radio 4, an irresistibly joyful memoir of mothers and daughters,
and the importance of home. 'The book is a joy... A bittersweet reminder to
all Jamaica's exiles of what we have lost'. Independent
Lorna Goodison’s first poetry collection to be published in Canada in over nine years, Mother Muse heralds the return of a major voice. The poems in Goodison’s new book move boldly and range widely; here are praise songs alongside laments; autobiography shares pages with the collective past. In her exquisitely lyrical evocations of Jamaican lore and tradition, Goodison has always shown another side of history. While celebrating a wide cross-section of women—from Mahalia Jackson to Sandra Bland— Mother Muse focuses on two under-regarded “mothers” in Jamaican Sister Mary Ignatius, who nurtured many of Jamaica's most gifted musicians, and celebrated dancer Anita “Margarita” Mahfood. These important figures lead a collection of formidable scope and intelligence, one that seamlessly blends the personal and the political.
The narrative explores the duality of Doris's life, navigating between her roles as a mother in Kingston, Jamaica, and her roots in Harvey River, Hanover. It delves into the complexities of her experiences, highlighting the challenges and richness of raising nine children while remaining connected to her birthplace. The story captures the essence of family, identity, and the interplay between different cultural landscapes in Doris's life.
The book is characterized by its beautiful prose and evocative language, drawing readers into its richly crafted narrative. It promises to engage the emotions and imagination, offering a profound reading experience through its lyrical style and vivid imagery.