BRADES, Montserrat – The Soca King of the World, Arrow is captured in the latest book by Sir Howard Fergus “The Arrow Poems and Saturday Soup,” which was launched at the annual Sir Howard Fergus Scholarship Dinner & Cabaret on Saturday evening.
This is the ninth year that the fundraising dinner, which was created by the Montserrat Festival Committee (MonFest), is being held during the annual cultural celebrations now called ArrowFest. Throughout the evening there were amazing performances by Tiffanie Skerritt, Dance Excell, Mildred Chalmers, Kevin Barnes, jazz with Atsumi –McCleod and Co. and a powerful acoustic finale with rising star Vejon.
The evening was hosted by Professor Fergus’ daughter Dr. Coretta Fergus. Other members of the author’s family, Minister of Education Colin Riley, Deputy Governor Sarita Francis and the seven contestants in the MonFest Queen Pageant were also in attendance.
“The Arrow Poems and Saturday Soup” covers a range of themes in the 37 poems inside, says the author, including a tongue in cheek look at the Montserrat’s work to get a new Constitution Order.
Sir Howard Fergus read “It Was a Miracle” which describes the day of Arrow’s funeral and the deluge of rain that gave way to a clear afternoon to honor the King of Soca. He also read “Saturday Soup” which he says was unlike the first course served during the gala event but rather a full course meal. The poem is a lighthearted look at soup Caribbean style, where all meats exist equally in a “democratic pot.”
Dr. Fergus has written and edited over 14 books, including several on Montserrat’s history and society. In 1992 he was the winner of The Caribbean Writer Poetry Prize and won the David Hough Literary Prize for an author residing in the Caribbean 2002.
