Kamaal Lettsome is a member of the Virgin Islands Callaloo Poets. The graphic designer and photographer is one of the regular spoken-word artists at the group’s monthly open mic sessions at Mellow Moods. Mr. Lettsome has also performed at the annual Microphone Messenjahs show.
How did poetry begin for you?
I’m really not sure, but I heard my father’s father was this very creative person. He did carpentry, he sewed, and a bunch of things. I think it must be some of that artistic nature. However, the first poem I remember writing — I was in second form and there was a young lady that I liked. The poem was, “Roses are red, violets are blue, a rose’s beauty can’t compare to you.” From there the poetry just grew. That was my real first attempt at getting a girlfriend.
I write about love. Love has always been a fascinating subject for me. I would say my experience with that girl was sort of a nudge of like, “Hey, you can do this.” I would say, though, that most of my growth in poetry happened when I was younger when I sat and wrote more.
Why love? What is it about love that hasn’t been said before?
Number one, love is challenge. What new thing can you say? It’s really not a matter of saying something new, but conveying you to someone else or those listening to you. You try to do it not only in a way that they understand, but you hit them with lines that make them go, “Oh wow.” You open up new ways of thinking and you even can spark creativity in someone. It only takes a spark to get the fire going.
What does poetry mean to you?
Poetry is a challenge to myself. Poetry helps me do something new, and it is something I want to develop. I don’t really like public speaking — I get severe performance anxiety — so one of the reasons I took up performing at open mics is to try to help me get comfortable in front of crowds. I try to have small dialogue with the audience to try to calm the butterflies. Especially for my poetry, where I write about love, it’s almost as though you’re standing in front of the audience in your underwear: It’s you, unfiltered you and you so. You’re putting yourself out there, telling everyone what’s on your mind and hoping there are people out there who connect to it and understand.
Do you remember the first time you performed at an open mic?
I can’t say that I do. I think the first time I said a poem in front of an audience had to be at an open mic while in college. I remember the feeling, though. It was nerves. But it was all about showing my art and conquering something. To get over the nerves, sometimes I have a drink before I go on. Once you create some kind of dialogue with the crowd, it becomes easy. Have some humour and it helps a bit.
How would you describe the vibes at the open mic events you attend here?
When you get a good crowd, it’s always nice, and you have lots of repeat people and they all get excited. Most times you get validity to your poems. The crowd is always encouraging and it makes you want to continue doing it.
How do you think poetry is doing in the Virgin Islands?
You don’t have to read music to appreciate music; you don’t have to know how to paint to appreciate painting. It’s the same with poetry: You don’t have to write to appreciate poetry. I think one thing we fail to do is advertise it properly. We don’t let people know it’s going on and when it’s going on. There are people that like that forum and they enjoy it. People like the performances. Right now, it is merely a bleep on the radar. We need to advertise it more to make people more appreciative of it.
How important is poetry in this day and age?
You can take all that is going on and put it in a poem. Poetry evokes emotion; it paints a picture. Presenting it as an art form, you inform and educate people without them even realising it. Poetry could help inspire change to a certain extent, but the problem is social media is hard to compete against. The things that go viral most of the time aren’t the most positive things.
Interview conducted, condensed and edited by Ngovou Gyang.
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