Velma Pollard
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Velma Pollard (26 March 1937 – 1 February 2025) was a Jamaican poet and fiction writer. Among her most noteworthy works are Shame Trees Don't Grow Here (1991) and Leaving Traces (2007).[2] She was known for the melodious and expressive mannerisms in her work.[3] She was the sister of writer Erna Brodber.[4]
Background
Velma Pollard was born on 26 March 1937 to a farmer and school teacher in Woodside, Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica.[1] Both Velma and her sister Erna expressed interest in the arts at a young age. Pollard attended Excelsior High School in Kingston, Jamaica. She went on to attend the University College of the West Indies, where she read Languages.[5] She earned a Master's degree in English and Education from Columbia University and McGill University respectively.[6] Pollard died in Kingston on 1 February 2025, at the age of 87.[7]
Career
Her interest in writing began at an early age; when she was seven years old, she won her first prize for a poem. It was not until 1975 that she became eager to have her work published.[8] She submitted her work to various journals, including the Jamaica Journal. Since 1988, her writing was published in several mediums, and appeared in such anthologies as Jamaica Woman: An Anthology of Poems (edited by Pamela Mordecai and Mervyn Morris, 1980), Her True-True Name (edited by Pamela Mordecai and Betty Wilson), and Daughters of Africa (edited by Margaret Busby, 1992). Pollard published four poetry collections, in addition to writing fiction. Her book Karl won the Casa de las Americas literary prize in 1992.[9] After her retirement, Pollard had a continued presence at the University of West Indies as a senior lecturer.
Pollard extensively researched Creole languages of the English-official Caribbean.[10] From this area of research, she found inspiration for her poetry. In August 2022, Pollard was elected as an honorary member of the 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 had a strong influence on her writing. Her work often features nostalgia of the countryside, and a strong philosophical tone.[4] The way in which she recited her work reflected 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.[3] This collection showcases her witty style of writing as well as her ability to maintain her audiences' interest.[11]
Bibliography
Poetry
- Crown Point and Other Poems, Leeds: Peepal Tree Press, 1988, Template:ISBN.
- Shame Trees Don't Grow Here, Leeds: Peepal Tree Press, 1991, Template:ISBN.
- Leaving Traces, Peepal Tree Press, 2007, Template:ISBN.
- And Caret Bay Again: New and Selected Poems, Peepal Tree Press, 2013, Template:ISBN.
Fiction
- Considering Woman (short stories), London: The Women's Press, 1989, Template:ISBN.
- Homestretch. Essex: Longman, 1994. Template:ISBN.
- Karl and Other Stories, Longman Caribbean Writers, 1994, Template:ISBN
As editor
- (With Jean D'Costa) Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Over Our Way: A Collection of Caribbean Short Stories for Young Readers. Longman Caribbean. 1980. ISBN 0582765676..
References
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- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Jamaican Velma Pollard has died". Jamaica Observer. 9 February 2025. Archived from the original on 24 March 2025. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Velma Pollard" (PDF). yorku.ca. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Mel Cooke (18 March 2013). "Velma Pollard Launches 'And Caret Bay Again'". The Gleaner. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Velma Pollard". Poetry Archive.
- ^ Pamela Mordecai (ed), "Velma Pollard", Her True-True Name: An Anthology of Women's Writing from the Caribbean, Heinemann, 1989, p. 59.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Velma Pollard" (PDF). yorku.ca. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Renowned Jamaican poet Velma Pollard has died". CaribbeanNationalWeekly.com. 2 February 2025. Archived from the original on 3 February 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Velma Pollard". Peepal Tree Press. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Karl - Velma Pollard". SPD Books. Archived from the original on 2016-04-23. Retrieved 2014-11-17.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Velma Pollard | poetryarchive.org". www.poetryarchive.org. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Launch of Velma Pollard's And Caret Bay Again". University of West Indies. 12 March 2013.
Further reading
- Daryl Cumber Dance, "A Conversation with Velma Pollard". CLA Journal, Volume XLVII, Number 3, March 2004.
- "Su Su" by Velma Pollard, Geoffrey Philp, April 2008.
External links
- "JWIL mourns the passing of Velma Pollard (1937-2025)", Journal of West Indian Literature, 4 February 2025.
- Nicole-Rachelle Moore, "Remembering Velma Pollard", Americas and Oceania Collections blog, British Library, 10 February 2025.
- Daryl Cumber Dance, "Remebering Velma Pollard", Boomer, 19 February 2025.
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