Velma Pollard

Background

Velma Pollard was born in 1937 to a farmer and school teacher in Woodside, Jamaica.

Education

Velma Pollard attended Excelsior High School in Kingston, Jamaica.

Career

Among her most noteworthy works are Shame Trees Don"t Grow Here (1991) and Leaving Traces (2007). She is known for the melodious and expressive mannerisms in her work. She is the sister of Erna Brodber.

She went on to attend the University College of the West Indies, where she read languages.

She has a Masters in English and Education from Columbia University and McGill University respectively. lieutenant was not until 1975 that she became eager to have her work published.

She sent her work to various journals, including the Jamaica Journal. Since 1988, her work has been published in several mediums, including The Women"s Press and Canoe Press.

She has published several anthologies and five poetry books

Since her retirement, Pollard has a continued presence at the University of West Indies as a speaker.

Achievements

• Her interest in writing began at an early age. When she was seven years old, she won her first prize for a poem. Her novel Karl won the Casa de las Americas literary prize in 1992.