The Mother Island - Softcover

Howard, Dr. Jacinth

Softcover

ISBN 10: 9769642002 ISBN 13: 9789769642003

Publisher: BROWN BIRD PUBLISHING, 2023

Synopsis

"Jacinth Browne-Howard's poetry collection, The Mother Island, reveals an astute choice of word, image and metaphor that reflects her own peculiar insight and budding wisdom into the woman's everyday but also complex life experiences. In addition, this poet possesses a noticeably keen ear for the rhythm and meter that best enhance her themes and subject matter. A talented young poet."

-Esther Phillips, Poet Laureate of Barbados


"In four orchestrated sections of The Mother Island, Jacinth Howard presents a rich compilation of poems in which she explores a wide range of themes related to motherhood, nature, love, the complexities of life, issues of womanhood. Some poems express the reverence one might feel when witnessing the "orange plumes / villainous smoke / rumbling earth" from an island volcano; others convey the awe that observation of animals in their natural habitats can bestir. Her use of figurative language is evocative, and her choice of metaphors conjure graphic images that linger long after reading. Howard's tone varies from elation to subdued self-assertion as she deftly navigates the thematic intricacies reflected in this, her first collection. She leaves us with eager expectation for future publications."

-Hazel Simmons-McDonald, Professor Emerita, The University of the West Indies



The Mother Island examines, in four parts, issues frequently encountered by women including abuse, silencing, exhaustion, illness, loss, loneliness and impossibilities. Equally, it is an exploration of life, growth and the natural world infused with the history and language of the Anglophone Caribbean. It confronts both the domestic and public expectations of the Caribbean female and maternal self in order to offer support in navigating them. This voyage is defined by the preservation of both traditional and alternative knowledge through polyvocal experiences to express the numerous, diverse experiences of womanhood and humanity in the West Indies.

About this title

About the Author

Jacinth Howard née Browne is a teacher, storyteller, poet, critic, blogger and researcher. She holds a PhD in Literatures in English from the University of the West Indies. Her critical work on speculative fiction can be found in journals and anthologies such as JWIL and the SFRA Review. Her fiction has been published in BIM Magazine, Intersect ANU, Disaster Matters and others. Her poetry collection The Mother Island won second place at the 23rd Frank Collymore Literary Endowment. She is a feature selection for the UNESCO Trancultura Poetry programme at the 40e Marché de la Poésie in 2023. The Mother Island is her first single authored book. She was born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and lives in Barbados.

Edition details

• Publisher: BROWN BIRD PUBLISHING
• Publication date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9769642002
• ISBN 13: 9789769642003
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 108