Senate Resolution No. 1275

BY: Senator COMRIE

MOURNING the death of Derek Alton Walcott,
acclaimed Caribbean poet, playwright and Nobel
Laureate

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body, representing the
people of the State of New York, to pay tribute to an extraordinary man
of indomitable faith and dedication whose purposeful life and
accomplishments will forever stand as a paradigm and inspiration for
others; and

WHEREAS, Derek Alton Walcott, whose intricately metaphorical poetry
captured the physical beauty of the Caribbean, the harsh legacy of
colonialism and the complexities of living and writing in two cultural
worlds, bringing him a Nobel Prize in Literature, died on Friday, March
17, 2017, at the age of 87; and

WHEREAS, Derek A. Walcott was born to Alix (Maarlin) and Warwick
Walcott on January 23, 1930, in Castries, Saint Lucia in the West
Indies; after the death of his father, Derek was raised by his
schoolteacher mother; and

WHEREAS, A true renaissance man, Derek A. Walcott was inspired each
day by the beauty and mystery that surrounded him; he was deeply moved
by the island's volcanic beaches, reef-diving sites, luxury resorts and
fishing villages, as well as its magnificent trails in the interior
rainforest which lead to waterfalls, like the Toraille, which pours over
a cliff into a garden; and

WHEREAS, At the young age of 19, Derek A. Walcott first attracted
attention when he self-published two books of poems with the aid of his
mother, 25 Poems in 1948 and Epitaph for the Young: XII Cantos in 1949;
and

WHEREAS, After earning a scholarship, Derek A. Walcott studied
French, Latin and Spanish at the University College of the West Indies
in Kingston, Jamaica; during this time, he began writing plays; and

WHEREAS, Upon graduation, Derek A. Walcott moved to Trinidad, where
he became a teacher in St. Lucia, Grenada and Jamaica while continuing
to both write and stage plays; and

WHEREAS, Derek A. Walcott then studied directing with Jose Quintero
in New York City for a year; after returning to the West Indies, he
founded the Little Carib Theater Workshop, which later became the
Trinidad Theatre Workshop; one of the group's first productions was
Derek's Malcochon; and

WHEREAS, Derek A. Walcott's best-known play, Dream on Monkey
Mountain was produced on NBC-TV in the United States, and in 1971, it
was produced by the Negro Ensemble Company off-Broadway in New York
City; it won an Obie Award that year for Best Foreign Play; and

WHEREAS, In 1962, Derek A. Walcott published a collection of poems
entitled In a Green Night: Poems 1948-1960; his powerful work was
praised by international critics and fellow poets; there was nothing shy
about his poetic voice; it demanded to be heard, in all its sensuous
immediacy and historical complexity; and

WHEREAS, Derek A. Walcott's poetry matured and deepened in works
such as The Castaway, The Gulf, and Another Life; shortly thereafter, he
was named an enormously ambition artist, ambitious for himself, his art
and his people; and

WHEREAS, Derek A. Walcott returned to the United States, and was
hired as a teacher by Boston University, where he taught literature and
writing for more than two decades while publishing new books of poetry
and plays on a regular basis; in 2007, he officially retired from this
position; and

WHEREAS, In 1981, Derek A. Walcott founded the Boston Playwrights'
Theatre, and received a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship; and

WHEREAS, In 1990, Derek A. Walcott published his epic poem, Omeros,
which referred to characters from the Iliad; his work was called a major
achievement, and was named one of the Best Books of 1990; and

WHEREAS, Derek A. Walcott was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature
in 1992; the Nobel committee described his work as "a poetic oeuvre of
great luminosity, sustained by a historical vision, the outcome of a
multicultural commitment"; in 2004, he won an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award
for Lifetime Achievement; and

WHEREAS, His later poetry collections included Tiepolo's Hound,
which was illustrated with copies of his watercolors, The Prodigal, and
White Egrets, which received the T.S. Eliot Prize; and

WHEREAS, In 2009, Derek A. Walcott began a three-year distinguished
scholar-in-residence position at the University of Alberta, and in 2010,
he became a Professor of Poetry at the University of Essex; and

WHEREAS, Predeceased by his twin brother, Roderick Walcott, Derek A.
Walcott is survived by his longtime companion, Sigrid Nama; one son,
Peter; and two daughters, Anna Walcott-Hardy and Elizabeth
Walcott-Hackshaw; as well as several grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, Throughout his magnanimous life, Derek A. Walcott created
many works of literary beauty and depth that will remain essential parts
of today's prose; he will always be remembered as a powerful voice in
Caribbean literature which demanded to be heard, in all its luxurious
immediacy and historical complexity; and

WHEREAS, In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Derek A. Walcott
proclaimed "For every poet, it is always morning in the world. History a
forgotten, insomniac night; History and elemental awe are always our
early beginning, because the fate of poetry is to fall in love with the
world, in spite of History"; and

WHEREAS, Derek A. Walcott believed in the celebration of life and
this Legislative Body, on behalf of the people of the State of New York,
is proud to celebrate his; now, therefore, be it


RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
pay tribute to the life of Derek Alton Walcott, whose legendary talent
entertained readers for several decades; he will be greatly missed by
his family, friends, colleagues and fans across New York State, the
Nation, and the World; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Derek Alton Walcott.