Poetry Unbound Poetry Unbound in Conversation — Lorna Goodison
Dec 12, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Lorna Goodison, the former Poet Laureate of Jamaica, dives deep into her modern Jamaican translation of Dante's Inferno. She shares her fascination with Dante, describing how cultural influences shaped her interpretation, particularly the choice of Louise Bennett as her Virgil. Lorna reflects on how exile informs her work and connects contemporary violence to Dante's morality. She also emphasizes the importance of vernacular in her translation, aiming to reclaim and catalog Jamaican voices within the text's complexities.
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Haunted Beginnings Sparked The Project
- Lorna Goodison began translating Dante after decades of being haunted by images like Henry Holiday's painting of Dante and Beatrice.
- Finding a personal, local entry point (midnight in a ramshackle urban center) made the journey possible.
Choosing Miss Lou As Guide
- Lorna initially imagined Derek Walcott as her Virgil but shifted to Louise Bennett to anchor the poem in Jamaican terrain.
- Bennett was a family friend and the mother of Jamaican language, making her an intimate, authoritative guide.
Vernacular As Legitimate Poetic Voice
- Goodison writes mostly in Jamaican English, mixing standard and vernacular to reflect her voice.
- She credits Louise Bennett for legitimizing Jamaican speech as poetic language.
