Seymour eulogised at Thompson brainchild event
THE late Chief Librarian of the National Library, Ms. Gillian Thompson would, no doubt, have been proud, as her brainchild ‘See More Poetry’, an event to honour the centenary birth anniversary of dead poet, A.J. Seymour, entertained a packed Theatre Guild Playhouse last Sunday.
The staging was in collaboration with broadcaster, playwright and archivist, Mr. Francis Quamina Farrier and the University of Guyana (UG) and featured renditions of poetry from Guyana’s veteran journalists, leading actors and literary personalities as well as tributes from family members, most notably daughter Joan Seymour and niece, Dr. Jacqueline de Weever.
Well-known personalities, most of whom wear many hats, who made presentations, included writer Ian McDonald; literary activist Petamber Persaud; actor, musician and educator Russel Lancaster; actor, producer and broadcaster, Ron Robinson; poet and motivational speaker Yaphet Jackman; broadcaster and actress Margaret Lawrence, senior officer at the CARICOM Secretariat Konyo Addo; writer and politician Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine; author and performer Ras Michael; actor and caterer Derek Gomes; playwright, producer and actor Malcolm De Freitas; writer Joan Cambridge; actor Nazim Hussain; pilot Lloyd Marshall and artist and activist Vanda Radzik.
Three-time Calypso Monarch Rudolph ‘Sweet Kendingo’ Kendall, surely lived up to his stage moniker, holding his listeners in thrall with his song ‘Beauty and beauty is not enough’ and providing the musical refrain for ‘Lulu’ which was presented by Jackman.
The National Dance Company worked along with Lawrence, dramatising the piece ‘Gethsemane’ which was beautifully spoken by her.
Daughter and niece, of the honoree, respectively, Joan Seymour and Jacqueline de Weever honoured the deceased with several poems, among them ‘For my Father’, ‘For Martin and Wilson’ and ‘Tomorrow belongs to the People’, after which they were given a gracious bow by Farrier himself, to loud applause from the gathering.
Acting Chief Librarian, Ms. Emiley King praised her predecessor’s contribution to the occasion, noting that Thompson had, at the beginning of the National Library centennial year 2009, embarked on a series of activities to promote the outstanding works and achievements of Guyanese literary luminaries.
The institution hosted a number of literary evenings under varying themes including ‘Oral Traditions’, ‘A Morning with E.R. Braithwaite’ and ‘To Sir with Love: A Guyanese Version’, to name a few.
Those occasions sought to remind the young and not so young of the historical and cultural significance of oral and folk traditions in Guyana and celebrate Guyanese literary icons.
King also spoke of Thompson’s advocacy of reading and literary arts and recalled her efforts to nurture a life-long love of reading in the young, with projects such as an annual Champion Readers Competition and Essay and Short Story Completion.
Prominently displayed
A book of condolences for Thompson was open at the event where a photograph of her was prominently displayed in the foyer.
As is known, Arthur James Seymour has made an enormous contribution to the literature of Guyana and the Caribbean. As well as a prolific writer of poetry, he was an anthologist, editor, publisher, broadcaster, cultural historian and literary enabler.
His poetry work included ‘Verse’ (1937), ‘More Poems’ (1940), ‘Over Guiana Clouds’ (1944) and ‘Suns in my Blood’ (1945). As an anthologist he produced ‘Treasury of Guyanese Poetry’ and Ky-Kover-Al Anthology of Guianese Poetry’ among others.
He also compiled ‘Dictionary of Guianese Folklore’ and the ‘Dictionary of Guyanese Biography’ (1984) and wrote the ‘Making of Guyanese Literature’ (1978).
Born January 12, 1914, he was educated at Blackman’s School on Regent Street, St. Phillips School on Smythe Street, Collegiate High School, Camp and Bent Streets and the Guianese Academy from where he won the Government Junior Scholarship to enter Queen’s College (QC).
Seymour worked at the General Post Office and Bureau of Public Information (BPI) where he became Chief Information Officer. He was a member of a number of groups and committees, including Public Free Library Committee and Guyana Textbook Committee.
On July 31, 1937, he married Elma Bryce and the union bore three daughters and three sons.
He edited the literary journal Ky-Kover-Al from 1945-1961 and co-edited, with Ian McDonald from 1984 until his death on December 25, 1989.
Other events to honour Seymour include the mounting of a plaque yesterday, Monday, January 13, on the building at Lot 23 North Road, Bourda, where he formerly resided and the induction of Seymour into the National Library’s Hall of Fame for the Literary Arts tomorrow, Wednesday, January 15, which will take place at 17:00 hrs at the National Library.
(By Michelle Gonsalves)
