Marcia Rowe, Gleaner Writer

Mel Cooke (left) signs his book for Shanika Donalds as her husband, Sean, looks on at the launch of '11/9', a book of poems by Mel Cooke at RedBones Blues Café on Tuesday. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer

Poet Mel Cooke has moved from pieces of paper to book. On Tuesday, Cooke launched his debut book 11/9 at the RedBones Blues Café in St Andrew.

Published by Blouse and Skirt Books, an imprint of Blue Moon Publishing, 11/9 is a collection of poems that "engages with race, capitalism, migration, terrorism, the media and politics".

Cooke, one of the writers to emerge from the Calabash Writers' Workshop, began his poetry writing as early as 1987. He addressed the capacity-size gathering with the reading of 'Word Terrorist', a captivating piece with lines such as "Ah walk wid 2 HB stick of dandemite, trii sheet of paper."

Speech

His speech was punctuated with more reading of other titles, such as 'Definition' and 'Non-Sequitir'.

Other readings from 11/9 were done by Joni Jackson, 'No New Lie', and Millicent Graham, 'Plane IV'.

Andrew Stone, guest speaker, explained that the book was not written to score political points, but to build a bridge between the present and future. He also described 11/9 as brutal, powerful and honest.

Other guest speakers included Tanya Batson-Savage, founder of Blouse and Skirt Books; Justine Henzel of Calabash Writers' Workshop; and, Tomlin Ellis of Poetry Society of Jamaica who commended Cooke.

The launch was originally scheduled for September 11, 2008, but was rescheduled due to the passage of Tropical Storm Gustav.