Abstract
This article delves into the profound interconnections between diasporic memory and the ongoing reconstruction of cultural identity as articulated in contemporary Anglophone Caribbean poetry. Faced with the enduring legacies of colonialism, forced migration, and subsequent voluntary diaspora, poets from this region frequently engage with fragmented pasts to synthesize coherent present and future identities. Utilizing a rigorous qualitative textual analysis, this research systematically examines a corpus of published poetry to identify key thematic concerns, stylistic innovations, and narrative strategies through which Caribbean poets negotiate the complexities of displacement, historical trauma, and ancestral narratives. The study investigates how these artistic expressions contribute to the forging of new modes of selfhood that are simultaneously rooted in Caribbean heritage and responsive to the multifaceted influences of global migration. Findings indicate that contemporary Anglophone Caribbean poets employ a deliberate act of mnemonic re-creation, transforming disparate and often painful memories into powerful cultural affirmations. The analysis further underscores the critical role of oral traditions, creolized linguistic forms, and symbolic landscapes in shaping these poetic reconstructions. This study concludes that contemporary Anglophone Caribbean poetry functions not merely as an aesthetic practice but as a vital cultural archive and a dynamic, contested site for identity formation. It demonstrates how poetic engagement with memory enables a continuous, fluid process of cultural identification, offering profound insights into the resilience, adaptability, and enduring cultural agency of diasporic communities navigating complex globalized existences. This research significantly contributes to the understanding of postcolonial poetics and the socio-cultural dynamics of diasporic identity.
Keywords
Diasporic memory, cultural identity, Anglophone Caribbean poetry, postcolonial poetics, oral traditions, cultural reconstruction, trauma, migration