Publisher's Synopsis
In Lugard's Bridge Stewart Brown divides the post-imperial world into home and abroad, and explores it through his original and beautifully-made poetry. He looks ironically at the recording of colonial history and at the new face of imperialism in the Third world: tourism.
There is also close scrutiny of the shambolic 'giving back' of Nigeria to its people and of the influences of imperialism on the new state, in the long title poem. At home the poet looks to his family rather than his declining country for worthwhile values. There are humorous, often moving poems about the birth of his daughter, the life of his young son and the death of his grandmother. All are written with the much praised clarity and painterly quality which marked his previous book, Zinder.
"A real poet… the most exciting young poet I have come across"
Adwale Maja-Pearce
Stewart Brown has taught in Jamaica, Nigeria and Britain. He is now a lecturer at the Centre of West African Studies, University of Birmingham. He is the editor of several anthologies of Caribbean literature, including critical work on Derek Walcott and E.K. Brathwaite.
