I STARED into his matted grey locks of hair. The legendary dread sat defiant on the chair. No warning threat of an approaching depression would keep him away from something good. Vladimir Lucien was occupying the Chair Tuesday night and he, Kendel Hippolyte, would be in the audience. I am glad that I too along with twelve or so other members of the Saint Lucia Writers Forum were there. One regular attendee was present as well, along with four other new faces, not the volume that I would have liked but nonetheless appreciative.
Our featured writer, young, intellectual and celebrated. Some questioned, “What makes him fit for the Chair?” As he took the podium you wondered if it had anything to do with his hair. The tacky peaks on his head, not sure if he is dreading, indeed the signs of revolution is evident. Many renowned writers go through it, the revolution, the self discovery and the attempts to redefine the world around them or at least their immediate space. For Lucien, I deem his immediate to be, not Saint Lucia but the Caribbean. He speaks of yearning to be part of the conversation, the Caribbean discourse; this stemming from a circle of discussion on a campus at UWI.
Being part of the conversation, I inferred was an ideal to be the subject of conversation or at least part of it.
But what does this young lad have that is worth emulation? In a room full of aspiring writers what kind of inspiration can he bring to the Chair?
I will draw upon three things that I noted on that night, maybe four. It was Kendel Hippolyte who said, I think it was at a workshop with us, that poets have to be like musicians, you have to be able to know and recognise the work of others in your field. There is no arguing that Mr Lucien is well read, he can call the names of influential, renowned authors like youngsters nowadays know all brands of cell phones. He can tell their names and state their specifications.
It was also Kendel who told me once that Derek Walcott thinks in metaphors. While I am not sure I can attribute that criterion to Lucien given that his body of work is limited, there seems a distinctive attempt at marrying folklore into his architecture of writing.
The other thing that I noted was his influences, his paternal influences. He speaks glowingly of his father’s love for poetry and in a time where computers babysit and mould our children, his childhood was filled with his father sounding poetry in his ears. His grandfather, the featured writer reveals, had some kind of unknowingly sublime influence on him. He, the grandfather is the inspiration of a number of his poems in Sounding Ground, his prize winning debut publication. In some spheres this phenomenon is being termed the power of presence.
As I scanned the room the nod of approval came from Ashanti, one of my colleague members, he turned to me several times during the presentation nodding in approval, that I am surprised his head is still intact on his neck.
With Poet Laureate Mervin Morris writing rave reviews of his (Vladimir’s) work and declaring him one of the bright stars of contemporary Caribbean Literature, the Writers Forum wishes Mr Lucien well in his future endeavours. Go forth our golden child of Caribbean Literature.