Hailed as one of the finest living poets writing in English, Derek Walcott grew up on an island where French, French patois, and Creole are also spoken. Filmed on St. Lucia, Walcott’s birthplace and the wellspring of his poetic vision, this program presents the biography of a major figure in contemporary literature. The poet talks about his childhood and education, his influences and techniques, and how he actually started out as a painter. Matched with beautifully filmed segments of the island and its people, Walcott reads selections of his poetry, including passages from his epic Omeros. (54 minutes)