How beautiful my brethren and sistren

the long version

Widely recognized as one of the finest poets working in the English language today, Derek Walcott received the 1992 Nobel Prize for Literature for his entire body of work, and specifically for his epic poem, Omeros. The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library first acquired a significant portion of the literary papers of Derek Walcott in 1997, comprised of his poetry, plays, storyboards, drawings, sketches and prose primarily from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s. This exhibition highlights a broad selection of original archival material, from O Babylon! to Omeros, as well as other aspects of his life and work, including his painting and drawing. The exhibition and catalogue were prepared by Fisher Librarian, Jennifer Toews.