Acclaimed Jamaican poet Kwame Dawes joins internationally celebrated American poet Carolyn Forché for a special evening of poetry and conversation at Manchester Literature Festival 2026.
Dawes is one of the most important contemporary voices in Caribbean poetry. Born in Ghana and raised in Jamaica, he has written extensively about memory, family, migration, race, history and the cultural landscapes of the Caribbean.
His work spans poetry, fiction, criticism and memoir, and he has played a major role in supporting and developing Black writers internationally through his work as an editor, teacher and literary organiser.
For this event, Dawes presents work from his collection Sturge Town, a deeply personal exploration of Jamaica, family history, landscape and inheritance.
Through poetry, he returns to places, memories and relationships that have shaped his life, reflecting on how individual stories connect with wider histories of the Caribbean.
Dawes has also served as Poet Laureate of Jamaica, further recognising his contribution to the country’s literary culture.
He appears alongside Carolyn Forché, one of America’s most respected poets and a writer whose work has frequently examined war, political violence, human rights and personal witness.
Forché will read from her new collection Otherwhere, which continues her exploration of memory, history and the responsibilities of the poet in times of conflict and change.
Bringing the two poets together creates a conversation that moves between the Caribbean, the United States and wider international histories.
For Black History Month audiences, Dawes’ presence offers an opportunity to hear directly from a major Caribbean literary figure whose work connects contemporary poetry with questions of ancestry, migration and cultural memory.
The evening forms part of Manchester Literature Festival 2026 and includes readings and conversation from both poets.
Carolyn Forché & Kwame Dawes takes place at Manchester Central Library on Friday 16th October 2026 at 6:30pm.
Tickets are £12, with £10 concessions.
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