Jam 50!

THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT

Kwame Dawes and Mervyn Morris celebrate 50 years of Jamaican independence through literature, poetry and discussion.

Celebrate the writing of Caribbean poets and authors, take part in a discussion about Caribbean literature, enjoy some delicious jerk chicken and jambalaya, and hear from some emerging talent, at this special event.

Spread the Word’s autumn programme launches with this very unique poetry occasion. Join us at the beautiful and intimate Geffrye Museum in Hackney, for an evening with these two greatly respected poets – presented by Spread the Word and Renaissance One.

Mervyn Morris and Kwame Dawes will read from a selection of their work and lead a discussion and exploration of Jamaican literature and how it relates to the diaspora. We will also hear some work from Spoken Word artist Raymond Antrobus, and our Dickens 2012 Young Writer in Residence Femi Martin.

After the discussion there will be jerk chicken and veggie jambalaya served, and a chance to mingle with the writers.

Tuesday 2 October
7pm – 9.30pm
£20 / £12 conc

Geffrye Museum
136 Kingsland Road
Shoreditch
London E2 8EA

Nearest Station: Hoxton (London Overground)


Ghanaian-born Jamaican poet, Kwame Dawes is the award-winning author of sixteen books of poetry (most recently, Wheels, 2011) and numerous books of fiction, non-fiction, criticism and drama. He is the Glenna Luschei Editor of Prairie Schooner, and a Chancellor’s Professor of English at the University of Nebraska.   Kwame Dawes also teaches in the Pacific MFA Writing program.  Dawes’ book, Duppy Conqueror: New and Selected Poems will be published by Copper Canyon in 2013.


Mervyn Morris is an established Jamaican poet, published by among others the prestigious Carcanet publishing house. In 1992 he was Visiting Writer-in-Residence at the South Bank Centre. His previous collections include The Pond, Shadowboxing, Examination Centre and On Holy Week; he also edited The Faber Book of Contemporary Caribbean Short Stories and published 'Is English We Speaking' and other essays. He lives in Kingston, Jamaica, where he is Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing & West Indian Literature.

Mervyn and Kwame are both contributors to the new collection of 50 great Jamaican poets, Jubilation, which comes out in summer 2012, celebrating Jamaica’s 50 years of independence. Spread the Word and renaissance one are delighted to bring these two great writers together for this special event.

Maureen Roberts is a poet, author and editor. My Grandmother Sings to Me was her first published collection of poems in 2004.  Her work is widely anthologised and is included on the Caribbean O level exam syllabus. In 2012 she was the Grenadian poet for the Poetry Parnassus at London’s South Bank Centre.

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