The Melanin Trail

In 'The Melanin Trail' the poetry of Magdalene May Faulkner reflects on the life of the British-born child from the Caribbean diaspora of the 1950s and 60s. Through her work the poet concentrates on ideas around truth and identity, belonging and purpose for this generation, as it still yearns to become assimilated. "For many of this diaspora the desire still remains to simply be 'one of the many' British inhabitants of society, with open opportunities" Faulkner says. Faulkner, who was born in London in the early sixties, alternates between cynically comedic and philosophical voices of separation, disappointment and aspiration, in a collection of work that is at times disturbing, at times touching and often vulnerable. She reflects on the internal perceptions of 'Self' from the prospective aims of British-born children from a range of Caribbean backgrounds; She examines notions of alienation versus degrees of belonging - as well as individual and communal achievement.