Matthew Clegg offers a personal and creative appreciation of the poetry of Derek Walcott – one of the most respected poets to emerge from the Caribbean, and a recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature. Why does a poetry that originates from the tiny island of St Lucia have such resonance with readers all over the world? Walcott was also a painter and a playwright, and Clegg will reflect on how his poetry was shaped by an appreciation of light, and by his feel for the drama of the human voice. Clegg will also explore his relationship with key friends and mentors, and discuss one of his central themes: journey and return. Walcott was a well-travelled writer, but he never lost his appreciation of home, and the values he found rooted in its culture.
Matthew Clegg is a poet and lecturer in creative writing at Derby University. His books include West North East and The Navigators, both published by Longbarrow Press. A new collection – Cazique – is in preparation, and will explore deception and self-deception in a world in thrall to truth, but unable to live by its strictures.
