Malachi Smith

Malachi is a fellow of the University of Miami’s Mitchner Caribbean Writer’s Institute where he studied poetry under Lorna Goodison and playwriting under Fred D’Aguiar. An alumnus of Florida International University, Miami-Dade College and Jamaica School of Drama, Malachi was one of the founding members of Poets In Unity, a critically acclaimed ensemble that brought dub-poetry to the forefront of reggae music in the late 70s and carried it forward for a decade.  Malachi has also performed as an actor and poet, and is an accomplished writer, publishing and performing his own plays and poetry. He has also become known for his performances in other theatrical productions and on radio, television, and live theatre.

Malachi won the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission most outstanding writer in the poetry category for 2009. He headlined the International Dub-Poetry Festival in Toronto and he performed at the Love-In Festival in Miami with Richie Heavens and other greats in Miami. He also made three appearances in New York, and he toured St. Kitts and Nevis in the summer of 2000 to rave reviews. 2012 Malachi tour Colombia for a week representing Jamaica at the International Poetry Festival of Medellin. Malachi represent Jamaica at the International Poetry Festival of Granada, Nicaragua, from February 16 to 23, 2014.

The Last Dance for Me

…lady in red is dancing with me

Cheek to cheek

There is nobody there, it’s just you and me

But I hardly know this beauty by my side

I’ll never forget the way you look tonight

Chris De Burgh

Lady in green

you are red tonight

a thousand sparkling lights

you flip me like a coin

both sides firmly in your embrace

i follow your every move

the curvature of your grooves

discovers jazz dripping into salsa

I must have sugar tonight

i must not hide any longer

i move center stage

you feel me

smiled pressed closer

happy fees joins the chatter

a hear flutters a kind hand reaches out

holds it in balance

The enemy is beaten

he heads for the door

another Tonya I screamed

she pressed harder for more

she got it for sure.

Malachi’s latest CD collection “SCREAM” was released in 2014.

Malachi has a MSCJ from Florida International University (FIU).

      2014 JCDC Gold Medal Creative Writing: Jamaica’s Best Adult Poet

      2013 JCDC Gold Medal Creative Writing

      2012 JCDC Silver Medal Creative Writing

      2011 JCDC Gold Medal Creative Writing

      2009 JCDC most outstanding writer.

      2006 winner dub poet of the year, Joe Higgs Music Awards.

      2006 nominee dub poet of the year Reggaesoca Awards.

      2006 nominee poet of the year Martin’s International Music Awards

      2006 won four awards Jamaica Cultural Development Commission Annual Literary Awards for poetry and playwriting.

      2007 world premier of documentary film: DUB POETRY: the life & work of malachi smith

For more on Malachi:

www.malachismith.com

www.reggaeconcepts.com   dub poetry

www.cdbaby.com/Artist/malachi2

• Served the JCF from 1974 to 1978.   Left at Rank of Det. Corporal.  Served:

St. James Division (General Office, Special Squad & Lilliput)

St. Andrew Central (Half-Way-Tree & Papine)

CIB HQ (Criminal Intelligence)

St. Catherine (Spanish Town CIB & Sub-officer i/c Crime Guys Hill)

Kingston Western Division (Denham Town CIB)

CIB HQ (Flying Squad & Homicide).

Presently: Sergeant with Miami-Dade Police Department, Northside Station.

President of JEPA: 2003-2005 & 2010-2012

PR Director. Board Member