Merle Collins's contributions to Caribbean literature have earned her a special place in the literary history of the English-speaking Caribbean. Her achievements as a poet, fiction writer, literary critic, and teacher span more than ten years in London, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and the United States. Collins describes herself as a "poet who loves to perform with all the theatrical implications of the terminology." According to Collins, poetry comes alive in performance with a vocal, participating audience. Her attempts to capture the complexities of Caribbean culture have moved her work from the page to the stage. Performing in the past with the musical group The African Dawn, Collins renders her rhythmic narratives with high energy.

Collins's writing is devoted to supporting the revolutionary impulses in the Caribbean and other countries in the African diaspora. Her poetry, in particular, is deeply political and committed to the people of Grenada and...