Rass Rodd of Dub Traffickers. - Andrew Smith/Photography Editor

Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

There were many poets but, for much of Wednesday night's World Poetry Day celebrations at Upon The Roof, Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston, not much of an audience.

Still, organiser for the fifth consecutive annual celebration of the day dedicated to poetry by UNESCO, Rass Rodd of Dub Traffickers, was a happy man at the end of the evening, coming close to midnight.

"This year was very good, because we wanted it to be up close and personal. So we never did any extensive promotion, because we did not have any financial support," he said.

Previous unesco support

Previous efforts, the first three of which took place at the Livity Restaurant on Hope Road before the switch to Upon The Roof last year, were supported by UNESCO, and Rodd is confident of the organisation's full support for next year.

"We still had a full house. Poets pass through," Rass Rodd said.

Among those poets, their presentations interspersed between recorded music at an extended affair that was billed as a 'Poetry Party', were Viva, African Pride, Gina-Rey Forrest (who also doubled as a selector), Payne, Now (formerly Osakwe), Bunnizik, Claude Hoilett, Charlie Bobos, Omara, Habbakuk, I-Sense, Rass Rodd and Issacchar, host of the Poetry Jam broadcast on ROOTS FM at 1:00-2:00 a.m. on Saturdays.

I-Sense, also known as Anthony 'Spirit' Gayle, sent 'Beautiful Wildflowers' to the ladies and also delivered a 'Letter' to them, a recorded selection from Dingo, keeping the poetry in that vein. Payne examined 'Trying Times' and Charlie Bobos advised young men to "change the way yu think", chanting to a recorded track that sometimes skipped for the main part he avoided slipping. Iya went to a place where "the sun has forgotten to grace us with its presence", while Bunnizik made a party of it as he delivered on an uptempo recorded track.

Recorded track

Rass Rodd hugged a young woman and danced on stage as Bunnizik spoke rhythmically that "a dub it I a dub it I a dub it/man an' woman all a rub it", the dancers bringing the words to life.

Rass Rodd also used a recorded track as the 2007 World Poetry Day celebrations headed to a close, speaking to a specific lady who "I often watch her with utmost anticipation", and encouraged her "rob me my girl, rob me, tek everything me got/thrill me before yu kill me".

There was a freestyle from Omara and Clayton Lynch which said, "I dream of the years ahead of us", as a few poets in quick succession brought the celebrations to a close.

And Rass Rodd had a World Poetry Day wish. "Most of us as poets, when we say we a listen suppen is not poetry. Me jus' wan encourage poet to listen poetry," he said.