Dawes Redefines The Art of Storytelling

by Erin McAndrews

February 8, 2007

When a Virginia Tech English professor introduced Kwame Dawes, he began by acknowledging the writer’s assorted artistic accomplishments: he’s published eight collections of poetry, written several plays and still had time for his reggae band Ujamaa.

The professor then told of a time he had asked Dawes, considering his many varied achievements, “What’s next?”

Dawes had responded, “Opera.”

It doesn’t seem too far off. As an accomplished writer, poet, playwright and reggae singer, Dawes has mastered almost every conceivable form of storytelling. With his acute ability for characterization, flow, rhythmic speaking that enraptures the ear and an apparent musical talent, opera should be no far leap for Dawes.

Wednesday, the English Department sponsored a series of talks featuring Kwame Dawes. The evening began with a lecture on reggae and Caribbean aesthetics (namely, Bob Marley), and culminated with a reading of Dawes’ own poetry.

Kwame Dawes was born in Ghana but grew up in Jamaica. He received a Ph.D. in English and is a professor and Distinguished Poet in Residence at the University of South Carolina.

Dawes began his discussion of Bob Marley by acknowledging his appreciation of the subject matter. This is unlike many teachers, he said to a chuckling audience, who “hate their subject, hate teaching, hate you.” He admitted that he could argue about Marley for hours and has in fact written a book entitled “Bob Marley: Lyrical Genius”.

He preceded his discussion of Bob Marley with an overview of reggae music in general, asserting that it originated as a voice for Jamaica’s peasant class. For some reason though, Bob Marley has risen to the cream of the reggae crop. Dawes attributed Marley’s success to a variety of causes: he was good looking, and light-skinned. Most agreed he was a talented songwriter.

Dawes explained that these obvious characteristics all helped bolster Marley’s success, but the key factor was that he was a religious artist. It is this spiritual element that listeners are referring to when they say they simply “feel” Marley’s music. Marley also desired to create music that could be danced to, and it is because of these soulful inclinations that Dawes credits him with redefining the reggae love song.

Dawes’ words were vivid and entertaining, splicing intellectual critical observation with general descriptions of Caribbean culture and personal anecdotes. After a brief recess with refreshments, Dawes continued his lecture by reading selected poems from his own works.

Like many literary greats, Dawes’ work seems to be greatly influenced by his environment. This is particularly noticeable in his latest collection, Wisteria. This volume was inspired by interviews Dawes conducted with long-time residence of a small town in South Carolina. Much of his poetry still contains a quality that can be recognized as uniquely Caribbean, be it from the cool rhythms, informal vernacular or occasional bursts into song.

Many of Dawes’ poems are lyrical in nature, and sometimes express an autobiographical incident. That doesn’t mean, though, that these poems are any less poignant than those not written from his own perspective, as Dawes contains a certain talent for placing himself into foreign personas. In particular, he seems to have no trouble writing and delivering poems with female speakers. Dawes accredited this ability to write as a woman by immersing himself in the work of female poets.

Dawes’ powerful reading captivated the room with his eloquent words and emotional delivery. Just as with the Marley talk that preceded it, Dawes never failed to spice up his reading with entertaining digressions and colorful personal reflection.

Following each section of his talks, Dawes offered a few minutes for questions and answers. Audience members seemed truly moved by his words and energy and chose to use this opportunity to express their adulation rather than ask actual questions.

“Listening to Kwame Dawes gave me confidence that we might not all kill each other in a nuclear holocaust,” said Jeremy Baker, an audience member attending the discussion.

While the rest of the audience may not have been moved in quite the same way, it may be safe to say that spectators left the reading with an appreciation for Dawes’ work and anticipation for what may be the world’s first reggae opera.