David Winn, my writing professor at Hunter College, thanks for raising the bar and forcing me to jump higher. Janet Fouche, my mother-in-law, your dal and curry sustained me through this. Ben Bailey, Danny Abelson, Jennifer Peerless, and the extended family at the Abelson Company, thanks for feeding my imagination and drawing me into that wonderful place of fun and learning. Kevin Powell, you opened your Rolodex to me. Now, that’s class.

Patrick Synmoie … cho man. Monte Bartlett, you’re a major part of this. Donna McKoy, nuff respect. Peter Tulloch, my bass teacher … Val Douglas the bass father, X-amounta vibes. Loris Crawford and Byrma Braham and the crew at the Savacou Gallery, you’re such wonderful friends and godparents, and your knowledge of art informs so much of this work.

Rohan Preston, Kwame Dawes, and Geoffrey Philp … me haffe lef oonoo fe laas. Ro, you are my Coxsone Dodd. Thanks for allowing me to use your poem “Dreaming of Mango.” Kwame, I am Gong to your Scratch. Thanks for writing all of Fire’s poetry. Geoffrey Philp, the only person who can tell a funny narrative like you is Pluto Shervington. Thanks for allowing me to use your poem “Exile.”

Special thanks to Bernardine Evaristo, George Harvey, and Dylan Powe.

John Updike, David Malouf, Caryl Phillips, and Derek Walcott, you humble and inspire me.

To the people of Jamaica at home and abroad … one love. I am one of you … a likkle yute from Hughenden.

Thanks be to God.