A Lesson on Wings

In A Lesson On Wings, multiple-award-winning St. Lucian poet, Modeste Downes, brings us a whimsical, insightful, and beautifully crafted collection of poems that is not only reminiscent of the works of Derek Walcott but speaks well of the state of Caribbean poetry in the post-Walcott era. Like a symphony, A Lesson On Wings moves flawlessly through poetic forms and subject matter ranging from nostalgia for the author's hometown of Vieux Fort and how things used to be to a juxtaposition of the island's beauty and culture against the irony of life and the cruelty of history. Like the prophets of old, the poet laments spiritual and social decay, the misdeeds of man to man and man to nature, and the fragility of life and inevitability of death. It is said first there was poetry, then poetry became words of wisdom, and then words of wisdom became words of God. Modeste Downes' poetry may have entered the realm of words of wisdom. (A Lesson On Wings) is a compilation of extraordinary poetic work ... an enthralling mixture of poetic genres ... destined to be heralded as one of the all-time great collections of Caribbean poetry ... no home or school library should be without a volume of this work.- Victor Marquis, author of Search and The Adventures of Lennie Zandoli Modeste Downes is a master of the craft that builds narrative tapestries ... He embraces the entire palette of emotions and finds words to embody them all ... His use of language is impressive ... (and his) easy blend of Kweyol, Latin, 'high' English and profanity works like a dream ... You cannot get more St. Lucia-in-your-face than this. It is a brilliant collection of poems. Buy it. Read it. Share it.-Jolien Harmsen, author of A History of St. Lucia, and Rum Justice