AFRICAN ORIGINS OF UFOS

Anthony Joseph is a Trinidad- born poet, novelist, musician and lecturer described as 'the leader of the black avant-garde in Britain'. His written work and performance moves between surrealism, experiments with language and form, Jazz and the rhythms of Caribbean speech and music. He is the author of four poetry collections and a novel The African Origins of UFOs. In 2005 he was selected by the Arts Council of England and Renaissance One as one of 50 Black and Asian writers who have made major contributions to contemporary British literature. In 2012 he represented Trinidad at the Poetry Parnassus Festival on London's South Bank. He performs internationally and tours with his band The Spasm Band with which he has released four critically acclaimed albums. His fifth album Time was produced by Meshell Ndgeocello and will be released in Spring 2014. Lauri Ramey is a poet and scholar whose PhD is in contemporary poetry from University of Chicago. She is Director of the Center for Contemporary Poetry and Poetics and a professor of creative writing and English at California State University, Los Angeles. Her books include Black British Writing (with R. Victoria Arana), Every Goodbye Ain't Gone (with Aldon Lynn Nielsen) and The Heritage Series of Black Poetry, 1962-1975 (with Paul Breman). Her poetry recently appeared in nthposition, Poetrybay, NYC BigCityLit and Lounge Lit.

"The African Origins of UFOs" is a narrative in verse that alternates between future - present and past. It is a fusion of science fiction, surrealism, mythology and the carnivalesque rhythms of Trinidadian dialect. It is a unique, genre busting, hybrid text that blurs the boundaries between prose and poetry and asks difficult questions about "race", memory and the future.

Joseph employs a syncretic, diasporic and highly innovative blend of genres and styles, providing an example of how diaspora becomes subject, inspiration and rationale for the innovative use of form, while experimental traditions enable him to show the diaspora in a fresh light. -- Lauri Ramey The African Origins of UFOs tracks the pull of place and the pull away from place, Afro-blue to astro-black and what glimmers in between. "Genetic contraband" and "bootleg melanin" afford a measure of the job it takes on. Possessing or possessed by requisite bearings, language and lore, Anthony Joseph is fully and beautifully up to the task. -- Nathaniel Mackey This is great new 'second generation' Caribbean stuff - movin away from the script & the scruff - or ratha - betta! - writin upon it - over and under it - a palimpsest to rahtid! - pouring out images like Eno's - or UFOs!!! -- Kamau Brathwaite Anthony Joseph is a talented writer with a powerful imagination. -- Linton Kwesi Johnson

Acknowledgements Introduction by Lauri Ramey 1. Kneedeepinditchdiggerniggersweat 2. Malick 3. The Thunderstone 4. Killer Joe 5. Town 6. Hummingbird 7. Secret underlung 8. Extending out to brightness 9. Realtime trajectory of explicit love 10. On Kunu Land 11. Whisky lip papa 12. Aranguez 13. Ace Cannon 14. Caura 15. Voyage to the bottom of the sea 16. Malkadi 17. ... before her body fell 18. Wallerfield 19. Joe Sam meets Bo Nuggy uptown 20. Crown of Thorns 21. the 'doption 22. On Kunu morn 23. She swam in heaven 24. The African Origins of UFOs