The Melanine in me

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First Sentence:
I am just a voice listen carefully and you will hear yourself....

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In the past few years, Mutabaruka has risen to prominence as the foremost Jamaican poet...." -- The San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle

"Mutabaruka is Reggae’s premier dub poet." -- Billboard

Product Description

MUTABARUKA was born Allan Hope in Rae Town, Kingston, Jamaica on December 26, 1952. Internationally acclaimed poet, reggae performer, radio host, actor, social critic and Rastafarian spokesman, he is Jamaica's voice of the people. His work focuses on themes of social justice, human rights and black liberation.

In the 1970s he began publishing his highly controversial poems, and since the early 1980s he has performed his work all over the world. He has released several outstanding albums of dub poetry, a marriage of reggae rhythms and the spoken word.

This book contains a reprint of his first major collection of poems of the 1970s, "Mutabaruka: the First Poems," and a new anthology of his best work written between 1980 and 2002, "Mutabaruka: the Next Poems."

Product Details

Paperback: 144 pages

Publisher: Paul Issa Publications (January 24, 2005)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 9766107130

ISBN-13: 978-9766107130

Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

4 Reviews
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,804,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews
4 Reviews
5 star: (4)
4 star: (0)
3 star: (0)
2 star: (0)
1 star: (0)

Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars.

A book for all seasons, May 14, 2005
By Mary O. Hanna "scholar" (Kingston, Jamaica) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME) This review is from: Mutabaruka: The First Poems / The Next Poems (Double Volume) (Paperback)

Mutabaruka is back in a beautiful book with perfect heft. It feels good in the hand. It offers a feast of creole poetry that sings in the mind. It appeals to Jamaica lovers, Rastafarian scholars, libertarians of all kinds looking to share riddim ravings and reasonings.

Paul Issa's careful and considerate editing of Muta's powerful songs make the reading easy and the quality paper and print compliment the striking cover and clever dual-design. This book makes a special gift for island lovers and is a tribute to poetry rebels everywhere.

Anyone who has heard Muta's voice on these poems will hear them "in your mind, in your mind, in your mind" while looking at them on the page. It's a brilliant translation from dub performance to print where little is lost.

Professor Mervyn Morris's two Introductions provide useful context. This double book is a first rate product with authentic appeal for specialist and layperson alike. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Mutabaruka's poems in patois span the decades, April 24, 2005

By Bob Merlis "Bob Merlis" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviewsAmazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Mutabaruka: The First Poems / The Next Poems (Double Volume) (Paperback)

This is an unusual and enthralling collection for a number of reasons. The format is brilliant; his early poems are presented under a cover on one side and if you flip the book over, the new ("Next") poems stand on their own, under another cover.

I was stuck by Mutabaruka's innovative word play; he's expressive on many levels and the fact that much of this is in Jamaican vernacular makes for an almost Chauceresque reading experience; you "hear" the poems as much as you read them.

His is a powerful voice, with strong spiritual and geopolitical threads running throughout. No matter if you read the new poems first or the first ones first, it's a literary journey well worth taking and taking again.

Bob Merlis, author of Heart & Soul: A Celebration of Black Music Style in America, 1930-1975

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5.0 out of 5 stars Jamaica's underbelly, May 19, 2005

By MG (California, USA) - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Mutabaruka: The First Poems / The Next Poems (Double Volume) (Paperback)

"If you're looking for an insight to Jamaica's underbelly - poverty, violence, racism and classism, Mutabaruka is one stop shopping. His lyrical beautiful poems reach out and grab you by the ears and take you for a turbulent ride across a sea of hot topics.

But it's not all gloom and doom. Muta's brilliant exciting verse is sprinkled with love and a wicked sense of humor. He navigates our ship with cool calm confidence. And you don't have to be Jamaican to 'andastan' his work. He's more than a poet. He's a prophet.

My favorite poem of the collection is "Butta Pan Kulcha." Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
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Customer Reviews: (4 Reviews)

5 star: (4)
4 star: (0)
3 star: (0)
2 star: (0)
1 star: (0)

Average Customer Review

5.0 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews:

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for all seasons, May 14, 2005

By Mary O. Hanna "scholar" (Kingston, Jamaica) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME) This review is from: Mutabaruka: The First Poems / The Next Poems (Double Volume) (Paperback)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Mutabaruka's poems in patois span the decades, April 24, 2005

By Bob Merlis "Bob Merlis" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviewsAmazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Mutabaruka: The First Poems / The Next Poems (Double Volume) (Paperback)

This is an unusual and enthralling collection for a number of reasons. The format is brilliant; his early poems are presented under a cover on one side and if you flip the book over, the new ("Next") poems stand on their own, under another cover.

I was stuck by Mutabaruka's innovative word play; he's expressive on many levels and the fact that much of this is in Jamaican vernacular makes for an almost Chauceresque reading experience; you "hear" the poems as much as you read them. His is a powerful voice, with strong spiritual and geopolitical threads running throughout.

No matter if you read the new poems first or the first ones first, it's a literary journey well worth taking and taking again.
Bob Merlis, author of Heart & Soul: A Celebration of Black Music Style in America, 1930-1975

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse | Permalink

Comment Comment

5.0 out of 5 stars Jamaica's underbelly, May 19, 2005
By MG (California, USA) - See all my reviewsAmazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Mutabaruka:
The First Poems / The Next Poems (Double Volume) (Paperback)

"If you're looking for an insight to Jamaica's underbelly - poverty, violence, racism and classism, Mutabaruka is one stop shopping. His lyrical beautiful poems reach out and grab you by the ears and take you for a turbulent ride across a sea of hot topics.

But it's not all gloom and doom. Muta's brilliant exciting verse is sprinkled with love and a wicked sense of humor. He navigates our ship with cool calm confidence. And you don't have to be Jamaican to 'andastan' his work. He's more than a poet. He's a prophet.

My favorite poem of the collection is "Butta Pan Kulcha." Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report abuse | Permalink

Comment Comment

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review.