Velma Pollard (born 1937) is a
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
n poet and fiction writer. Among her most noteworthy works are ''Shame Trees Don't Grow Here'' (1991) and ''Leaving Traces'' (2007). She is known for the melodious and expressive mannerisms in her work.
She is the sister of
Erna Brodber
Erna Brodber (born 20 April 1940) is a Jamaican writer, sociologist and social activist. She is the sister of writer Velma Pollard.
Biography
Born in the farming village of Woodside, Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, she gained a B.A. from the Unive ...
.
Early life and education
Velma Pollard was born in 1937 to a farmer and school teacher in Woodside,
Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica
Saint Mary is a parish located in the northeast section of Jamaica. With a population of 114,227 it is one of Jamaica's smallest parishes, located in the county of Middlesex. Its chief town and capital is Port Maria, located on the coast. It i ...
. Both Velma and her sister Erna expressed interest in the arts at a young age. Pollard attended
Excelsior High School in
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inter ...
. She went on to attend the
University College of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies (UWI), originally University College of the West Indies, is a public university system established to serve the higher education needs of the residents of 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the ...
, where she read languages. She has a Master's degree in English and Education from
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
and
McGill University
McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...
respectively.
Career
Her interest in writing began at an early age; at the age of seven, she won her first prize for a poem. It was not until 1975 that she became eager to have her work published. She sent her work to various journals, including the ''
Jamaica Journal
The ''Jamaica Journal'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the Institute of Jamaica. It publishes scholarly articles on the history, natural history, art, literature, music, and culture of Jamaica.
Its predecessor was the ''Journal ...
''. Since 1988, her work has been published in several mediums, including ''The Women's Press'' and ''Canoe Press''. She has published several anthologies and five poetry books. Her novel ''Karl'' won the ''Casa de las Americas'' literary prize in 1992. Since her retirement, Pollard has a continued presence at the
University of West Indies
The University of the West Indies (UWI), originally University College of the West Indies, is a public university system established to serve the higher education needs of the residents of 17 English-speaking countries and territories in th ...
as a senior lecturer.
Pollard extensively researched Creole languages of the English-official Caribbean. From this area of research, she found inspiration for her poetry. In August 2022, Pollard was elected as an honorary member of th
Society for Caribbean Linguistics (SCL) which she served with distinction as an SCL Executive Officer and SCL Financial Officer.
Works
Pollard's upbringing in a rural community has had a strong influence on her writing. Her work often features nostalgia of the countryside, and a strong
philosophical
Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
tone.
The way which she recites her work reflects the firmness and richness of her writing. Her poetry often reflects on modernity in contrast with the slower lifestyles of the past. In 2013, Pollard released a collection of poetry titled ''And Caret Bay Again: New and Selected Poems''.
This collection showcases her witty style of writing as well as her ability to maintain her audiences' interest.
References
Further reading
Interview with Velma Pollard
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pollard, Velma
1937 births
Living people
20th-century Jamaican poets
21st-century Jamaican poets
Jamaican women poets
20th-century Jamaican women writers
20th-century Jamaican novelists
21st-century Jamaican women writers
Jamaican women novelists
21st-century Jamaican novelists
People from Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica