Bequia poet releases album

by Jonathan Ashby

By day, she’s a security guard at J.F. Mitchell airport, Bequia.

But by night, she’s better known to residents as well as visitors to Bequia as the island’s poet – an articulate, passionate 56-year-old, who boldly recites her heartfelt verse on the walkway that extends along the sea front near Port Elizabeth.{{more}}

And now she has released her first album of her poetry, set to music.

Mother of six, Silma Duncan realised she could write poetry from a very early age, and over the years she has published her own book of poetry, which she keeps a handy stack of, near at hand when she is reciting her poetry in public on the walkway – just in case one of the tourists or even one of locals wants to buy one.

The idea of putting her poetry to music came from her youngest son, Brendon, 25 who helped his mum to compose the music without instruments for 12 of her poems.

Silma’s next step was to recruit friends – teacher Naomi Gregg and housewives Judy Leslie and Guinell Hazel – into helping her and her son Brendon to form a group called Harmony, which recorded the songs with Bequia music producer Enos Peniston at his Star Base Studio in Hamilton.

And, after the nine months it took to complete the project, Silma ‘s debut album, God’s Plan, has finally gone on sale at EC$45 a copy.

“It has been hard work, but very much a labour of love recording the album,” says Silma, who has been married to her husband George, a gardener for 31 years.

“We had hoped to perform a few concerts to promote the album, but that will have to wait a while because Guinell is expecting a baby.

“My inspiration has always come from the same place – God – and I think of my abilities as a poet as a gift from him which flows through me…..”