Derek Walcott, prolific poet and playwright, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1992. It made the second time a St. Lucian was honored with the prestigious award. In 1979, the late Sir W. Arthur Lewis received the award for Economics. Rather interesting, both men share the same birthday.
Derek Walcott was born in Castries, St. Lucia in 1930. His father, an Englishman, was a Bohemian watercolourist who died when Derek and his twin brother Roderick were just one year old. His mother ran the town's Methodist school. She was a lover of poetry who often recited poems in their home.
At the young age of eighteen, Derek Walcott made his debut with his first book, "Twenty Five Poems."
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Since then, he has published numerous collections of poetry and plays. His body of work is rich in metaphor and imagery, transporting his readers to places and times that are both beautiful and solemn. Born of mixed heritage, the author has immersed himself in the exploration of cultural conflict, struggle and identity issues stemming from colonialism in the Caribbean, which is portrayed in much of his work.
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