This Bleeding Heart of Mine

About the Book

In the poet’s words which project a clear image of the ghetto environment and evoke the introverted feelings of a community exasperated by its situation and their ultimate solution for escape, came their denial and confused ideology. “In my hand, there is a gun. Deep, deep in my heart there is revenge.” The cry is agonizing, stained by frustration. It is the reflection of a society warped by social injustice, of minds poisoned by revenge. As a nation, our conscience is pricked by the poet’s scorching words. We are moved by the embarrassing plights of our brothers. We are touched by his grief in “Unemployed” concerned for his welfare and future, a dark illusion. We travel through his mind to spiritual world and hear his questioning prayer, “How Long I Pray.” As he unravels his mind, we are engulfed in his humane nature, we hear his talk about his “Friend” then we are wrapped up into romanticism. We perceive his erotic desires and feelings in “My Woman.” Indeed, we can see variety of its theme and conclude this is someone having experienced life in its fullness. This book of poems comes at a time when our nation is once again undergoing a transition, and will no doubt serve as a stimulant to our minds. Its theme and message will at the most evoke that humane nature deep within us, motivated to help someone from a miserable condition, now that we are aware of it. Invariably, the aim of the poet is to garner this response to this critical problem, which he himself has experienced over time.

About the Author

Born on August 26, 1955 in Mount Maria, St. Ann., Jamaica, W.I., Errol St. John Stephenson first attended Mt. Maria Primary School to jump start his formal education before heading to the Alston Junior Secondary School. At the age of 13, young Errol migrated to Kingston which has since become his home. Errol’s early life revolved around the Ghetto environment of Kingston, living dangerously and adventurously in an area where life was a constant fight for survival. This factor motivated his desire to help people to overcome this barrier of life. To this end, he attended various international seminars dealing with youth development and welfare. He became active in politics, where he got involved in social work. Errol’s long and intimate relationship with the poverty-stricken ghettos of the ‘70s, when the proletariat was torn by gang warfare and political tribalism, was manifested in his poems as a poignant call for liberation of the ghetto youth. He was an elected Councillor with the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (K.S.A.C.) spending only one term before being controversially kicked out by the his party, the Jamaica Labour Party (J.L.P.), who thought his type of politics did not conform with their viewpoints. A writer, poet, former politician, businessman, the people’s man: Errol, a man with a wealth of experience.