When I Dance

The poems in this anthology are all of West Indian origin, but draw on material both from the inner city life of Britain and from the rural Caribbean. The Caribbean voice, with its distinct speech rhythm, tone, spirit and experience comes through clearly. James Berry was the first black poet to win the National Poetry Society Competition with “Fantasy of an African Boy” in 1982. His first collection of short stories for Hamish Hamilton, “A Thief in the Village”, was published in 1987.