Yellow Cedars Blooming An Anthology of Virgin Islands Poetry Marvin E. Williams Editor and Compiler Alix Thayer Assistant Editor Jeannette Allis Bastian Project Director VIRGIN ISLANDS HUMANITIES COUNCIL United States Virgin Islands 1998 LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF THE V.I. ST. CROIX Ycllow Cedars Blooming: An Anthology of Virgin Islands Poetry © C9pyright 1998 Marvin E. Williams. Author has sole copyrights. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in electronic retrieval systems or transmitted by any means in any form without prior written consent of the author. Funded by a grant from the Virgin Islands Humanities Council, an affiliate of the Nat1onal Endowment for the Humanities. The Virgin Islands Humanities Council ISBN 1-886007-08-X St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands Yellow cedars blooming : an anthology of Virgin Islands poetry I Marvin E. Williams. editor and compiler : Alix Thayer. assistant editor. - United States Virgin Islands : Virgin Islands Humanities Council. 1998. xvii. 289 p. ; 24 em. Includes bibliographical notes and index. "Jeannette Allis Bastian. project director." ISBN 1-886007-08-X. I VIRGIN ISLANDS POETRY-COLLECTIONS 2. VIRGIN ISLANDS OF THE UNITED STATES-POETRY-COLL.ECTIONS 3 AMERICAN POETRY- VIRGIN ISL.ANDS AUTHORS---COLLECTIONS. I. Williams. Marvin E. II. Thayer. Alix 8Il'.008-dc2l Yellow Cedars Blooming: An Anthology ofV1rgin Islands Poetry To the Reader The poems in this book have survived the stonns of this strange time, and of far older times as well. Their words have been blasted by wind. soaked by water, rescued from brittle pages that crumble at the touch. some of these words we have found and collected. It is the lost poems that you the reader must find, the ones that live only m the memory of the old. And the dead: you must search for the1r poems too. They have much that remains to be said. And your very own lost poems-fragmentary, unborn, a phrase that will not leave you-gather these with a vengeance. You need them-we all do. iii Yellow Cedars Blooming: An Anthology of Virgin Islands Poetry PREFACE The United States Virgin Islands has a long and prolific poetic tradition, perhaps stemming from its oral roots. Unfortunately, this poetry has not been available to later generations because it has been scattered and out-of-print. This anthology was created to gather together both old and new, out-of-print and currently published works, and to bring all this wonderful poetry to the people. Like all worthwhile projects, this anthology was only made possible through the cooperation and assistance ofmany persons who selflessly donated their time and energy because they believed in the project and thought that it would benefit the Virgin Islands. Particular thanks are due to Christian Doute and Alix Thayer, who joined the project half way through its inception and remained dedicated and committed during the remaining three years that it took to complete. Chris, as Technical Editor, devoted countless hours entering and fonnatting data and creating the index. Alix, as Assistant Editor, insured the completeness and correctness ofall infonnation, negotiated copyright permissions, and coordinated the biographical infonnation. Very special thanks are also due to Dr. Marvin Williams, a poet himself and Editor of this anthology. Throughout the project, he continued to refine it and keep it as current and comprehensive as possible. His thoughtful critical essay, as well as the essays contributed by Dr. Marilyn Krigger, Dr. Roberta Knowles, and Raymond Ross, enhance and extend our understanding ofthe poetry and add immeasurably to the scholarly value ofthis anthology. Their participation is most gratefully appreciated. Among the many other persons who gave valuable input to this publication are Dr. Ruby Simmonds, whose critical reading ofthe draft helped tremendously in shaping the final publication; Jennifer Jackson, who assisted with the initial poetry selection; Latifah Chinnery, Dr. Vincent Cooper, Gene Emanuel, Dr. Roberta Knowles, Raymond Ross, and Dr. Gilbert Sprauve, who served on the initial Advisory Board. Thanks also to Shirley Lincoln for providing the cataloging information and to Magda Smith for negotiating the cover ofthe anthology, a painting by Virgin Islands artist Albert Daniel. Finally, thanks and appreciation go to Magda Smith and Simon Caines of the Virgin Islands Hwnanities Council for their moral support and encouragement throughout the six years that it has taken to complete it. Most of all we thank them and the entire Humanities Council for not losing hope that this anthology would one day be published. Jeannette Allis Bastian Project Director iv Yellow Cedars Blooming: An Anthology of Virgin Islands Poetry ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We would like to thank the following for pennission to reproduce poems: The Author, Aubrey Anduze for "A Beach in the Shape of a Heart," from Reminiscence II (St. Thomas, The Art Shop, 1944), and "The Last Carib," "Loving Blindness," and Sonnets I, VI, and VID from Remir~iscer~ce (St. Thomas, The Art Shop, 1940); the Author, Vivian Bennerson for "The Steel Pan," first published in Poetry Comer, Caribbean /mpressiom, November 4 • I 0, 1993; the Author, Barbara Callwood for "Playgrounds" and "Dey Music Gown" from The Caribbea" rfln'ter(cd. Erika Waters), vol. 2, 1988; the Author, Marty Campbell for "De Roostah What Tink E Mck De Sun Rise" from The Caribbean Writer, vol. 4, 1990, and "Deciduous Diaspora, November'' and .. Face'' from Collage Ill: Poets ofSt. Croix (ed. Alfredo E. Figueredo, Christiansted, Antilles Press, 1993): the Author, Vincent Cooper for "And Miles . ."and ''Hurricane Hugo'' from OfMasks m1d A-(vsteries (ed. S. B. Jones-Hendrickson, Frederiksted, Eastern Caribbean Institute, 1993), and "For Carlton Barrett,'' "For Richard Long," and "Penman" from Tremors (University of the Virgin Islands, 1988); the Author, Dimitri J. Copernann for "First Cry,'' "A Saxophone Speaks," ''In a Silent Way,'' "The Projects." and ''The Soul of Wounded Knee'' from the first two volumes of Within a Golden Grove (University of the Virgin Islands Literary Magazine, 1973-74 and 1974-75); Marvin Creque, for the following poems by Cyril Creque: "Bamboula Echoes," "Coal Carriers,'' "Color,'' "From a Mountain Ridge in St. John,'' "The Hurricane," "Lignum·Vitae," "Masquerade Frenzy," "Night Song of a Saint Croix Laborer," "Ruined Rostnun," and "Tropic Dance'' from Tracie Wir~ds (Newport, Rhode Island, Franklin Printing House, 1934), and for "Memories ofTransfer Day,'' "We Laud the Living Hour,'' "With Mingled Feelings," and "Yellow Cedar in Bloom" from St. Thomas, Virgi" Islands: Panorama (The Author. 1947); before his death, the Author Senya Darklight stipulated that all his poetry should be considered public domain; the Author, June Esannason for "Native Woman" from Sur~ f.tla~~el Jewel.t: An Anthologv of Virgin l.dands Poetry (ed. Valdemar A. Hill, Sr., St. Thomas, Val Hill Enterprises, 1975); the Author, Alfredo E. Figueredo for "Golden Grove Campus'' from Collage Ill: Poeu ofSt. Croix (Christiansted, 1993), "BananaQuit," and "Stonehenge"; the Author, David Gershator for excerpt from "Elegy for Val'' (New York, Xpress Press), "Island Roots'' from VIP, vol.l, no.\, 1971, and "Terra Incognita/Taino Incognito" from The Caribbea" Writer, vol. 7, \993~ the Author, Phillis Gershator for "Concretely Celebmting the Quincentennial'' from The Caribbean Writer, vol. 6, 1992, and "Survival" from Tire Caribbean Writer, vol. 5, 1991~ Aida Miller for the following poems by J.P. Gimenez: "Ah Doan Want No Kalaloo,'' "Dern Roach Dal Used to Eat Brass Cannon,'' ''How Tings Change,'' "Mistah Editah," "Talking 'Bout Xmas in the Virgin Islands,'' "Those Hot Cha-Cha Blues," and "A Virgin Islander's Letter to Uncle Sam" from Virgin /sland.s Folklore ancl Other Poenu (New York, 1933), "The Bamboula Drum,'' "My Island Home,'' and "Tropical Dawn'' from Caribbean v Yellow Cedars Blooming: An Anthology of Virgin Islands Poetry Echoes (New York, Galleon Press, 1934), and "My Virgin Isle" from Voice ofthe Virgin Islands (Philadelphia, Dorrance & Co., 1952); Reubina Gomez for "American Paradise'' by Isidro Gomez, Jr., from Sun /sla"d Jewels: A11 Anthology of Virgi" islands Poetry (St. Thomas, 1975): the Author, Corrin Graham for "A Slave"; the Author, Gary Harold for "Islands,'' "The Dark," and "Hurricane'' from Endangered Species (Christiansted, Antilles Press, 1992); the Author, Carol Henneman for "Pan-Africanism" and "For Zora"; the Author, Arnold Highfield for "Christmas Winds,'' "Epiphany Mas" and "Morning Garden Princcssc'' from Archaeology ofNames, Poems 1962-1992 (Christianstcd, Antilles Press, 1993) and "The Guineaman'' from The Caribbean Writer, vol. 7, 1993; Florence Hill for the following poems by Valdemar Hill, Sr.: "Always for You," "At Magens Bay,'' "Dream of Africa," "On Crown Mountain,'' "Transformed,'' and "You"; the Author, Bertica Hodge-Hendrickson for "Authority,'' "Findings,'' "New Light," "Poem,'' "SWl of St. Thomas," and "Yellow Cedar'' from VIP, vol.l, no.l, 1971; Frankie Jarvis for the following poems by J. Antonio Jarvis: "Africa Whence r Came,'' "Atavistic,'' "Bamboula Dance;· "Harlem Comedy;· and "The Throb of Drums'' from Bamhoula Dance and Other Poems (St. Thomas, The Art Shop, 1935 [1970, Kraus Reprint, Nendeln, Germany)), "Coal Carriers," "Jubilee Hall," "Love;· and "Tourists''; the Author, S. B. Jones-Hendrickson for "Anger Grows,'' "His Ways,'' and "On the Road to Frederiksted''; the Author, Jean Larsen for "Gray Skies," "Images,''