Professor Mervyn Morris

Honorary Fellow

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Mervyn Morris is a celebrated poet, critic and academic who was appointed the Poet Laureate of Jamaica in 2014, the first person to hold the position since Jamaica’s Independence in 1962.

Prior to his time at the Hall, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, Professor Morris was educated at the University College of the West Indies, which became the University of the West Indies (UWI). He returned to work there, and is now Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing and West Indian Literature.

His critical publications include ‘Is English We Speaking’ and Other Essays (1999), Making West Indian Literature (2005) and Miss Lou: Louise Bennett and Jamaican Culture (2014). His books of poetry include The Pond (revised edition 1997), Shadowboxing (1979), Examination Centre (1992), On Holy Week (1993), I been there, sort of (2006) and, more recently, Peelin Orange (2017), a collection of his work spanning over half a century.

Professor Morris, who lives in Kingston, was awarded Jamaica’s Order of Merit in 2009, for his distinguished contribution to the field of West Indian Literature.