The Prodigal: A Poem.

The Prodigal: A Poem by Derek Walcott Farrar, Straus and Giroux, October 2004 $20, ISBN 0-374-23743-3

Written with the ambitiousness of Homer and reminiscent of the way Gwendolyn Brooks juxtaposes contextual realities to societal norms, Derek Walcott's epic The Prodigal: A Poem is an engaging intellectual voyage written in three parts and 18 cantos, presenting imagery-driven landscapes from America to Europe to the Caribbean.

The rich history of each city Walcott visits in memory blends seamlessly with nature, creating a portrait of history. Witness the remembrance of Germany, "after all, / there was no greater fate than to be a footnote / in the immense encyclopedia of barbarism."

Walcott provides detailed historical text, which contributes significantly to the manner in which he lived and his love of the Caribbean. Walcott is that prodigal son, "He had the smell of cities on his clothes / the steam and soot of trains of Fascist stations / and their resounding vaults / he had the memory of rain."

Walcott captures the vibrancy and human condition of each town. He compares his life to a blank page that has been filled with wonderful stories one paragraph at a time. As he remembers his native St. Lucia we hear, "that humming that goes on in the tired heart / once you are home."

--Reviewed by Randall Horton Randall Horton is pursuing an MFA in Poetry at Chicago State University.