NINE “DAYS OF LITERATURE” IN ST. MARTIN.

sekoupepinguadeloupe06052009MARIGOT The "Days of Literature" concluded here on Tuesday evening with a poetry reading and audience discussion involving three of the five invited poets Lasana M. Sekou (St. Martin), Luis Mizón (Chile), and Virgile Novarina (France). The soirée at the Sandyground Youth Center followed eight days of discussions between the authors and students from nine high schools and primary schools. The students had studied a selected book by each writer before the authors visited the schools. (The St. Martin book studied was The Salt Reaper - poems from the flats.) Authors Ernest Pepin and Gisèle Pineau of Guadeloupe also took part in the program. The literature program began on April 27 and included a panel debate on Pineau's novel Mes quatre femmes and a "Homage to Aimé Césaire" presentation by Pépin. According to organizer Robert Romney, the concluded program realized the first edition of Days of Literature (Programme des journées de la Littérature 1ère edition). Romney is based in Marigot as the representative of the Rector of the Academy of Guadeloupe for the Collectivity of St. Martin and for St. Barths. The "Days of Literature" was organized by Romney's office in collaboration with the DRAC, DAAC, and the government of the Collectivity.