8 Must-Read Guyanese Poems

Guyanese poetry often explores themes of cultural identity, colonial history, and the natural beauty of the Caribbean landscape. Poets from Guyana, such as Grace Nichols and Martin Carter, weave rich imagery and personal narratives to address social and political issues, including the legacy of slavery, indigenous traditions, and the complexities of post-colonial life.

Poem Explorer Poetry Archives

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Looking At Your Hands

by Martin Carter

‘Looking At Your Hands’ urges the importance of human empathy and solidarity in resisting and transcending injustice.

Carter was a renowned Guyanese poet whose verses tackled the political and social issues of his native country during the mid-19th century. Poems like this one are exemplary of the power inherent in his verse, advocating a passionate resistance to colonialism and a belief in solidarity as a pathway to radical change for the better. Today, he remains one of Caribbean's most influential writers whose works are remembered as being powerful calls to action.

No!

I will not still my voice!

I have to much to claim

If yo see me looking at books

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Checking Out Me History

by John Agard

‘Checking Out Me History’ confronts colonial education, celebrating unsung heroes of black history through vibrant dialect.

Agard is probably the finest poet born in Guyana in the last hundred years. Moreover, given much of the poem's content relates to things he was taught, the poem's frustrations are likely directed at the educational syllabus in his native country, which was a British colony while Agard was growing up.

Dem tell me

Dem tell me

Wha dem want to tell me

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Mothers and Daughters

Strong Women

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Free Verse

Genre: Lyric

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Praise Song For My Mother

by Grace Nichols

‘Praise Song For My Mother’ uses nature metaphors to depict her mother’s vital, nurturing presence in a personal ode.

Nichols is a famous Guyanese contemporary poet whose works have drawn extensively on her family's heritage. She often explores themes of identity, touching on issues related to migration, race, and the isolating experiences of those leave behind their home. In this poem, she hones in on an essential part of the African diaspora, giving praise to the role a mother has a figure of cultural, emotional, and physical resilience.

You were

water to me

deep and bold and fathoming

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Half-Caste

by John Agard

John Agard’s poem ‘Half-caste’ is a poem that is, in a majority, filled with the speaker responding to being called half-caste.

‘Half-Caste’ shines brightly among Guyanese poems because it captures identity struggles with a fresh, playful voice. John Agard’s mix of Caribbean dialect and humor makes the poem feel alive and relatable—like a friend speaking truth straight to you. Compared to other Guyanese works that may lean more serious or formal, this poem breaks barriers with wit and boldness. It’s a powerful reminder that complexity and pride live in every part of us.

Excuse me
Standing on one leg
I'm half-caste
Explain yuself

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Like an Heiress

by Grace Nichols

‘Like an Heiress’ by Grace Nichols contrasts the stunning beauty of the Atlantic Ocean with the harsh reality of a litter-covered beach, reminding us of our duty to protect and preserve the environment.

'Like an Heiress' is a powerful Guyanese poem that highlights her deep connection to her homeland, Guyana, and the environmental challenges it faces. Nichols evokes a sense of nostalgia and reverence for the Atlantic Ocean, drawing parallels between her childhood experiences and the present-day environmental degradation.

Like an heiress, drawn to the light of her

eye-catching jewels, Atlantic draws me

to the mirror of my oceanic small-days.

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Island Man

by Grace Nichols

‘Island Man’ contrasts tranquil island life with London’s urban rush, highlighting a deep yearning for simplicity.

Grace Nichols is originally from Guyana, which is part of the Caribbean. Her writing often draws on her Caribbean background, even when she writes about life in Britain. ‘Island Man’ clearly reflects this connection, with its contrast between tropical island mornings and the noisy city life in London. The poem is shaped by her experience of moving from the Caribbean to England, and it carries the voice of someone holding onto both places.