John Agard

Poet, playwright and children's writer living in Lewes

By Katy Evans

Poet, playwright, short story and children's writer John Agard was born in 1949 in colonial British Guiana (now Guyana). Since moving to England in 1977, Agard has been regarded as an ambassador for Caribbean culture through poems such as Half-Caste. His poetry for children is as sophisticated and philosophical as his books for adults but completely accessible for a younger audience.

Agard has lived in Lewes, East Sussex, with his wife, the respected Caribbean poet Grace Nichols, and his family since arriving in Britain. They often take part in the Lewes Live Literature festival where Agard performs his lyrical language in a unique calypso style spoken word.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Shoot Me With Flowers: Published in Georgetown, Guyana, (1974)

Letters for Lettie, and Other Stories: Bodley Head, (1979)

Dig Away Two-Hole: Tim Bodley Head, (1981

Man to Pan Casa de las Américas: Cuba, (1982)

I Din Do Nuttin, and Other Poems: Bodley Head, (1983)

Limbo Dancer in Dark Glasses: Greenheart, (1983)

Livingroom: Black Ink, (1983)

Caribbean Poetry Now (contributor) Hodder & Stoughton, (1984)

Mangoes and Bullets: Selected and New Poems 1972-84: Pluto Press, (1985)

Say It Again, Granny!: Bodley Head, (1986)

The Penguin Book of Caribbean Verse (contributor): Penguin, (1986)

Lend Me Your Wings: Hodder & Stoughton, (1987)

Life Doesn't Frighten Me At All (editor): Heinemann, (1989)

Go Noah Go!: Hodder & Stoughton, (1990)

Laughter is an Egg: Viking, (1990)

The Calypso Alphabet: Collins, (1990)

Border Country: Poems in Progress (contributor): Wood Wind Publications, (1991)

No Hickory, No Dickory, No Dock (with Grace Nichols): Viking, (1991)

Grandchildren of Albion (contributor): New Departures, (1992)

Heinemann Book of Caribbean Poetry (contributor): Heinemann, (1992)

The Emperor's Dan-dan: Hodder & Stoughton, (1992)

A Stone's Throw from Embankment: The South Bank Collection Royal Festival Hall, (1993)

The Great Snakeskin: Ginn, (1993)

A Caribbean Dozen (co-edited with Grace Nichols): Walker Books, (1994)

Grandfather's Old Bruk-a-Down Car: Bodley Head, (1994)

Oriki and the Monster Who Hated Balloons: Longman, (1994)

The Monster Who Loved Cameras: Longman, (1994)

The Monster Who Loved Telephones: Longman, (1994)

The Monster Who Loved Toothbrushes: Longman, (1994)

Eat a Poem, Wear a Poem: Heinemann Young Books, (1995)

Poems in My Earphone (editor): Longman, (1995)

Another Day on Your Foot and I Would Have Died (contributor): Macmillan Children's Books, (1996)

Get Back, Pimple!: Viking, (1996)

We Animals Would Like a Word With You: Bodley Head, (1996)

Why is the Sky? (editor): Faber and Faber, (1996)

From the Devil's Pulpit: Bloodaxe, (1997)

Brer Rabbit: The Great Tug-o-war: Bodley Head, (1998)

A Child's Year of Stories and Poems (with Michael Rosen and Robert Frost): Viking Children's Books, (2000)

Hello New: New Poems for a New Century (editor): Orchard, (2000)

Points of View with Professor Peekabo: Bodley Head, (2000)

Weblines: Bloodaxe, (2000)

Come Back to Me My Boomerang (with Lydia Monks): Orchard, (2001)

Einstein, The Girl Who Hated Maths: Hodder Children's Books, (2002)

Number Parade: Number Poems from 0-100 (with Jackie Kay, Grace Nichols, Nick Toczek and Mike Rosen): LDA, (2002)

Under the Moon and Over the Sea (co-editor with Grace Nichols): Walker Books, (2002)

Hello H20: Hodder Children's Books, (2003)

From Mouth to Mouth (with Grace Nichols; illustrated by Annabel Wright): Walker, (2004)

Baby Poems: Frances Lincoln Children's Books, (2005)

Half-Caste and Other Poems: Hodder Children's Books, (2006)