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John Agard Hans Christian Andersen Awards 2019 UK Writer Nomination John Agard Hans Christian Andersen Awards 2019 UK Writer Nomination PHOTO : ZELMA PLAYER PHOTO 1 John Agard Biography John Agard A Critical Appreciation John Agard is described as “a unique and energetic followed by Poet in Residence at the BBC in London John Agard has lived in Britain since 1977, but it was his wife Grace Nichols, also a significant poet with Guyanese force in contemporary British poetry”1. He is also a in 1998, an appointment created as part of a scheme Guyanese childhood which strongly shaped the writer and heritage. In No Hickory, No Dickory, No Dock (1991) tradi- playwright and short story writer. He was born in 1949 run by the Poetry Society. At the BBC he worked in electrifying performer he was to become. Agard worked for tional rhymes are interspersed with the editors’ own poems in Guyana; and he credits his passion for words to the association with the Windrush project, which included the Commonwealth Institute for several years, travelling all which play with these verses. For example, in the title childhood inspirations of the Latin Mass, Calypso, and a season of TV programmes on Afro-Caribbean migra- over the UK to many different schools, festivals and librar- poem, a mouse humorously protests that, although it did all BBC radio cricket commentary. He began writing poetry tion to the United Kingdom. As part of the project he ies, educating, entertaining and learning what appealed to sorts of other things, it ‘didn’t run up no clock’ as described in his teens and worked as a teacher, a librarian and a appeared on the long running children’s programme his youthful audience. Best known and loved for his poetry, in the original nursery rhyme. From Mouth to Mouth newspaper sub-editor and feature writer before arriv- Blue Peter, one of his poems was quoted by Prince his range spans picturebooks, new versions of nursery (2004) collects together oral poems from around the world, ing in Britain in 1977 with his partner, the poet Grace Charles, and another was engraved on a plaque com- rhymes, Caribbean proverbs, well-chosen anthologies as encouraging awareness of ‘a time when poems weren’t Nichols. By then he had already published two books. memorating the arrival of the ship Windrush at the well as highly praised poetry collections for adult and juve- written down but said out loud like praise-songs in public London docks. He said of his time at the BBC: “poetry nile readers. His poetry for children, written both in nation places or sung like lullabies in private places.’ Agard and In Britain he became a touring lecturer for the British sensitises us to language and to human connected- language and standard English, is rhythmic and playful, Nichols were inspired by nonsense poems from around the Commonwealth Institute, working there from 1978- ness, so it should have a role to play in an organisation bursting with energy and fun. world to compile Pumpkin Grumpkin (2011). They gathered 1985 and he visited nearly two thousand schools whose motto is ‘And nation shall speak peace unto James Berry’s Jamaican ‘Gobble-Gobble Rap’, odes to fruit across the UK talking about the Caribbean and giving John Agard is a key figure in bringing Caribbean poetry for nation’.”4 In 2007 he was writer in residence at the and vegetables translated from Polish and Icelandic, animal readings and workshops. His first adult collection of both children and for adults into wider consciousness in National Maritime Museum. His latest association sounds from Asia collected by a Japanese poet and placed poems Man to Pan (1982) was the winner of the Casa the UK and internationally. He became a published poet at is with GCSE Poetry Live, in which some of the best them alongside Edward Lear’s limericks, Spike Milligan and de las Américas Prize. In 1983 he published his first a time in Britain when there was a growing recognition of of British poets, including John and Grace, perform Lewis Carroll to create a wondrous world of wordplay. collection of children’s poems, I Din Do Nuttin a collec- the need for greater diversity in the books being offered to their poems in a series of readings across the UK for tion for younger children illustrated by Susanna Gretz. children and was at the forefront of this movement. His first John Agard has also edited several international anthol- students preparing for their GCSE examinations. Since then he has published poems for adults and for popular collection, I Din Do Nuttin and other poems (1983), ogies such as Hello New! (2000), a collection of specially children of all ages, sometimes working with his wife, John says of the importance of poetry to children: draws on universal experience of little children in the UK commissioned poems to greet the 21st century, all linked Grace Nichols, and also enjoying a fruitful association “We are surrounded by words and language can and the Caribbean but also talks specifically about black by the word ‘new’, and Why is the Sky? (1996) full of poetry with the illustrator Satoshi Kitamura. He has earned control our thoughts. When world leaders speak, for experience. This is exemplified in a poem, ‘Happy Birthday, reflecting his own questioning attitude to the world and his awards both for his own work and as an editor of example, of ‘limited collateral damage’ to describe Dilroy’, where the protagonist asks his mother ‘..tell me encouragement to young people to do the same. collections. He and Grace were awarded the inaugural the bombing of people, it’s a way of speaking that you why/they don’t put a little boy/that looks a bit like me’ on Agard and Nichols have edited several full colour anthol- CLPE (Centre for Literacy in Primary Education) Award could call cosmetic and deceptive. That’s why it’s im- his cards. ‘Why the boy on the card so white?’ Other collec- ogies based on their knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, for Under the Moon and Over the Sea (2002) and John portant for children to be in touch with the language tions for young readers include Say it again, Granny! (1986) the poetry of the Caribbean which have drawn particular was awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry in of poetry which not only tunes their ear to the music a vibrant collection of poems based on Caribbean proverbs. praise. A Caribbean Dozen (1994) provides a rich selection 2012 and the Eleanor Farjeon Award for services to of words but keeps alive their sense of wonder.”5 Agard’s ability to probe conventions and, indeed, tackle rac- of the work of thirteen poets from the Caribbean includ- children’s literature in 2016. ism, is done with a light touch for younger readers and with ing themselves. This volume was beautifully illustrated by John is a tireless performer of his poetry. In 1975 in irony and humour for older readers. Poems such as ‘Limbo Cathie Felstead and she was one of five artists to illustrate 1 Guyana, he worked with All-ah-We, a group of actors https://www.poetryarchive.org/poet/john-agard Dancer at Immigration’, ‘Cowboy Movies’ and ‘Half-caste’ a further handsomely produced volume edited by Agard in Get Back Pimple (1996) ask powerful questions about and Nichols in 2002. Under the Moon and Over the Sea won and performers which he credits with helping him to 2 Alice O’Keeffe, The Bookseller, October 6, 2011 create characters, tell stories, use Creole effectively, https://www.thebookseller.com/profile/john-agard race as well as making readers roar with laughter. ‘…explain the first CLPE Poetry Award (now known as the CLiPPA). and to work with audiences. All of which has made yuself/wha yu mean/when yu say half-caste/yu mean when This anthology encompasses poems from poets living in the 3 him a mesmeric performer of his work. “Poetry lives https://www.booktrust.org.uk/news-and-features/fea- light an shadow/mix in de sky/ is a half-caste weather/ well Caribbean and those from the Caribbean diaspora and also in the breath,” he says, and of performing live: “It’s tures/2017/october/john-agard-on-the-importance-of- in dat case/England weather/nearly always half-caste….’ includes traditional rhyme and song. poetry-language-can-control-our-thoughts/ almost like going back to that collective thing, around Agard often pushes at the boundaries of how experience One of the illustrators of Under the Moon and Over the Sea is the fire.”2 He says you must always read a poem aloud 4 John Agard Making Waves at the BBC can be constituted in language. Tackling racial prejudice Satoshi Kitamura, a Japanese artist whose work has become “so you can feel its music in your mouth.”3 http://archive.poetrysociety.org.uk/content/archives/ in his poetry, he tends to shame the reader through irony much associated with John Agard’s poetry as the illustrator places/bbcagard/ rather than anger. His abilities as a performer are part of his enthusiasm of many of his collections, their humorous collaboration add- 5 for the promotion of poetry and are coupled with an https://www.booktrust.org.uk/news-and-features/fea- As well as drawing on nursery rhymes and the oral tradi- ing a further dimension to the poems. In We Animals Would ability to inspire others in a variety of collaborations tures/2017/october/john-agard-on-the-importance-of- tion in his own poetry, John Agard has always been an avid Like a Word with You (1996) animals give their own forthright poetry-language-can-control-our-thoughts/ and initiatives.
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