The Island Man Sings His Song: A Collection of Poems [Paperback]

Giftus R JOHN (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 29, 2001

The Island Man Sings His Song is a compilation of poems that expresses Giftus John's perspective of life in his native land, Dominica; an island full of culture and history, politics and religion, beauty and charm. An island where poetry is in motion everyday and every night.

It also tells how an island man adapts to his adopted homeland, America, and the frustrations, the worries,fears, concerns and a contrasting way of life compared to the one that he grew up with.

It also expresses the authors feelings for his homeland as it struggles to find itself in the developing world. The poems also take a look globally at topics that cover life in general.

The poems in The Island Man Sings His Song cover numerous topics and have a style each of their own being presented in local dialect, kweyol and standard English usage.It is a collection of thoughts, ideas and hope and inspiration.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Giftus John was born in St.Joseph on the Caribbean island of Dominca. He attended the St.Joseph Primary School, St. Mary's Academy and The Sixth Form College.Giftus also has two previous poetry publications:The Dawn(1978) and Words In The Quiet Moments(1981)Giftus presently resides in Union, New Jersey.

Product Details

• Paperback: 139 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (May 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595180906
• ISBN-13: 978-0595180905
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,671,049 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dominica's Culture at it's best, September 28, 2001

By 

Mackelvie (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Island Man Sings His Song: A Collection of Poems (Paperback)

This is trully a masterpeice. This is by far one of Giftus' greatest works. The poems took me back to my youthful days growing up in Salisbury. It brought back fun memories of listening and sharing stories, and riddles under clear moonlight skies. "The Island Man Sings His Song" is as real as I remember. For those who forgot or did not have the uniques opportunity to experience life in Dominica, "The Island Man SIngs His Song" takes you there. It is a great educational tool. I highly recommend it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Poetry Seeped in Melody, July 2, 2004

By 

Rocco Dormarunno (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Island Man Sings His Song: A Collection of Poems (Paperback)

I have the pleasure of knowing Giftus John, so my comments may appear biased. BUT I know other published poets and you won't see any of my positive comments around their work, and that's because I consider Giftus' poetry to be that of a truly inspired writer with music coming out of his pen. He has the absolute right to use the words "Sings" and "Songs" in his title.

Several of the poems harken back to Giftus' days in Dominica, as he reexamines the joys and the pains of his youth. But it isn't a total introspection, as he applies the same lessons he'd learned to the youthful experiences of his own young children. Many other poems reflect the adult Giftus, now in New Jersey. There's a melancholy longing in these poems but never does he give into self-pity. He always has that music, he always has his island songs to get him through. And we are better for that, too.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Island Man Sings His Song - Yes He Sings!!, January 3, 2003

By 

Kennedy (Kansas City, KS USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Island Man Sings His Song: A Collection of Poems (Paperback)

Giftus John continues to "Sing" like a true Island man. As I read his poems, I was taken on a journey back home - to Dominica. The art and richness of the collection is a treasure. I strongly encourage the purchase and enjoyment of "The Island Man Sings His Song." It captures with authenticity, the essence of what Dominicans experience at home and abroad. This is definitely one of Giftus' best works.