Kingston-born poet Kei Miller had the audience hanging on to
his every word as he performed at this year’s Cultural Exchanges Festival,
charming the audience with a combination of subtle humour and political
discourse.
Miller read poems from three of his collections, but primarily
focussed on his most recent, The
Cartographer Tries to Map a Way to Zion, which charts the conversations had
between a struggling cartographer and a Rastafarian who tries to show him that
what’s not on the map is bigger and
more important. The sequence slips between standard English and Jamaican patois
as the two converse, which distinguishes the two distinct voices of the characters
in an often humorous but profound manner.
Miller also performed a touching poem titled 'A Prayer for the Unflummoxed Beaver,'
which was written for a friend of his who was very ill and was inspired by an
encounter with an unfazed beaver in America.
There was an impressive turnout to see Miller, as spectators
braved the bitter weather to see him perform, and he certainly warmed our
hearts. The lecture hall was full of Kei Miller fanatics, clutching copies of
his work and in awe of his presence. He has definitely gained another fan
in me.
Ryan Blacklaws
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