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Syble Douglas

Jul 05, 2009 Features / Columnists, Guyanese Literature

by Petamber Persaud

With the launch of ‘Transition, Poems Old & New’, Syble Douglas joined a small group of poetesses who have gravitated beyond the realm of a single publication. This is in no way denigrating writers who have one publication to their name; very often that one publication may represent a writer’s life work, also there are many ‘one-book wonders’ that have made a name for themselves and have made significant contributions to literature with that one publication. It would be useful to note that Guyanese women writers were always operating at a disadvantage, buffeted by numerous constraints in the world of writing.

‘Transition’ is Douglas’s fourth publication, birthed because all her previous publications are now out of print. Her first book, a collection of poems was ‘Fulfilment’, published way back then in 1967, numbering among the first set of collections of poetry by Guyanese women. The others in that first set and all surfacing in the 1960s include Waveney E. Rodrigues, Cecile Nobrega, and Leela Sukhu.
‘Fulfilment’ was a slim volume wherein ‘Sudden Death’ has become the best known poem – sound, grounded and philosophical ‘but life goes on/despite our loss/…while memory weaves/a thread of gold/into the fabric of our being’.

Douglas’s second publication was ‘Guyana Drums’ published in 1972 for the first Carifesta staged in Guyana. This was an anthology of six women writers including the anthologist, Douglas, and Pat Cameron, Sheila King, Evadne D’Oliveira, Mitzie Townshend and Shana Yardan. A notable poem coming out of ‘Guyana Drums’ was ‘The Return’ by Douglas which was later set to music by the ‘Together Brothers’.
The elapse time between first and second publication was some four years. The elapse time between second and third publication was about fourteen years. That publication was ‘Random Harvest’, a celebration of Douglas’s sixtieth birthday, and it was co-authored with her eldest son, Allister.
‘Transition’ came some two decades after the third and some four decades after her first publication. This collection of poems is dedicated to women everywhere; women writers need the inspiration and the support in this field. And Douglas has shown it can be done with dedication and vision. ‘Transition’ is made up of poems old and new, dating back to her first collection in 1967. That is over four decades of dedication to her art.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: [email protected]

What’s happening:
• The Guyana Annual magazine is inviting entries to its eight literary competitions and to its art and photography competitions.
• Be a part of the centenary celebrations of the National Library; see press for details.
• Poetry workshop during July for emerging writers; for further information contact me at above telephone number/email address.
• Call for papers on ‘Re-reading Edgar Mittelholzer’

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