Nineteen-year-old Aphia Blugh has produced a book of poems in hopes that it will be used as part of the School-Based Assessment (SBA) for English Language and Literature in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). During her time in forms four and five at Bishops College Kingstown, Blugh and her classmates faced difficulty finding suitable poems, articles, and news pieces for their SBA projects.
For the SBA, students choose a topic, often linked to social or economic issues, and must find materials to support their analysis. Blugh noticed that many topics lacked sufficient written works. “A lot of people don’t write poems or articles on them,” she explained. “That gave me the willpower to write about poems on topics that aren’t often discussed.”
Blugh’s goal is to use her poetry to highlight important stories from SVG, particularly the voices of those too afraid to speak out. Her book, Altering The Past, features poems and stories written throughout her secondary school and college years. Blugh believes the collection showcases her growth as a writer. “The newer poems are more in-depth and share different perspectives,” she said.
While Blugh completed her book earlier this year, she is still seeking a publisher to help distribute it. For now, it is available on Wattpad, a popular reading app among students.
Blugh credits former teacher Janielle Browne, a local poet and writer, for motivating her to continue writing. “She gave me the push that I needed,” Blugh said.
Blugh encourages aspiring writers and poets to take a chance and follow their passions, even if it means risking failure. “If you decide not to try, you’ll never know what could have happened,” she said. “But if you do try and fail, you learn what to improve for next time.”
‘I Am A Girl NGO,’ a non-profit organization in Barbados, was one of the first to recognize Blugh’s work. She has also spoken on behalf of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cadet Force, the National Lotteries Authority, and during scholarship ceremonies at the General Employees Cooperative Credit Union (GECCU).
Currently studying for an Associate degree in Paralegal Studies at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College (SVGCC), Blugh wrote a poem titled Cheers to Life for the Law Society, which was set up by her lecturer and lawyer, Adrian Odle.
Blugh aspires to become a Senior Prosecutor and is also interested in joining the police force band. “I love music and the whole aesthetic of the band,” she said. “Being in the Cadet band, I think it would be a seamless transition into the Police band.”
