Mighty Dow will perform his thrilling music here on Saturday, April 25, at the "Poetry & Pan" concert in the Collectivity’s Garden, said Minerva Dormoy, head of the culture department.
The program of "Lyrics and melody in the garden" will begin a 7:30 pm with the "masterful pan music of Mighty Dow, a dance performance, and exciting poetry reading" said Dormoy.
Poetry & Pan is free to the public. It is also the finale of three Poetry Garden programs of the culture department and hosted by the Collectivity in the garden of the government building (former Mairie’s), said Dormoy.
Visiting St. Martin to recite at Poetry & Pan is the Bahamian writer Marion Bethel, said Dormoy. After the recital Bethel will be signing her award-winning poetry collection Guanahani, My Love. The book was recently published in St. Martin by House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP).
"I will definitely be at the Poetry & Pan concert to enjoy the excellent pan selections from Dow, listen out for new poets to publish, and to be inspired by the poetry of Marion Bethel," said Lasana M. Sekou, projects director at HNP and himself a published poet.
For the last three months, the Poetry Garden program has been showcasing professional, upcoming and hobbyist writers, rappers and musicians "from the Collectivity and also from throughout the whole island," said Minerva Dormoy.
"The poets have read so far in English, French and Creole. So the unity, the cultural creativity and being able to express and enjoy various languages are all part of the St. Martin culture," said Dormoy.
According to Dormoy, having Marion Bethel as the invited guest poet adds a wider Caribbean dimension to the cultural manifestation (at which Collectivity leader Frantz Gumbs surprised the audience by reciting his own poem at the previous program).
"We are inviting the people of St. Martin to come out on Saturday; and to enjoy a unique evening with our own important artists and upcoming artists at the Poetry Garden. And also to give Ms. Marion Bethel a special Friendly St. Martin welcome."
Bethel is a Cambridge-trained lawyer by profession and a Harvard University fellow. She has recited her poetry at literary conferences and festivals in the USA and in the Caribbean, South America, Asia and Europe.