To Sweeten Bitter
2017
Publisher
Out-Spoken Press
A foundational work of identity, memory, and grief
”A very personal exploration of the father/son relationship... poetry about finding one’s cultural identity, about trying to belong and being found wanting.
Marina SofiaLiterary reviewer
In To Sweeten Bitter, Raymond Antrobus offers a poignant exploration of grief, identity, and heritage. Following the death of his father, Antrobus returns to Jamaica, seeking understanding and connection. The collection delves into the complexities of the father-son relationship, the nuances of cultural identity, and the lingering effects of colonial history.
Antrobus’s poems traverse geographies—from the UK to Jamaica and Kenya—reflecting on personal loss and broader social issues. His work is marked by a delicate balance of tenderness and strength, offering readers a deeply personal yet universally resonant experience.
”These are poems that are unafraid to be tender, yet are free from sentimentality... Antrobus moves skilfully between the reclaiming and letting go of memory, transforming intimate hurt into anger and vulnerability and strength and laughter and compassion.
Margaret BusbyEditor and publisher
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oblvXiGOlAM
To Sweeten Bitter
Read by Shakeel Haakim