Marcia Jackson has been doing dub poetry just before she became a teenager.

Her love for the art form developed after she became fascinated by the works of the late folklorist and cultural curator Louise Bennett Coverley.

In late March, at the 41st staging of the International Reggae And World Music Awards (IRAWMA), Jackson received the Mutabaruka Award for Best Poet/Spoken Word Entertainer.

She has been quite upbeat about receiving the accolade.

“I have been doing dub poetry since I was a child. I chose this art form because I fell in love with listening to Miss Lou’s poems and later realised that I expressed my feelings and emotions through writing and verbalising other words. It creates a dialogue for what I am experiencing. I use poetry to interpret the world around me through vivid descriptions and inventive wordplay,” said Jackson in an interview with the Jamaica Observer recently.

She added: “Winning this award signifies acknowledgement and recognition for my poetic passion. Winning is self-reinforcing, it brings credibility and it also opens doors to new opportunities.”

Jackson, who is also a registered nurse instructor, is encouraging more women to get into dub poetry.

“I would like to encourage more women to get into dub poetry because it’s more than just an art form. It’s a powerful combination of phrases and metaphors. Dub poetry helps us to better express ourselves and make sense of the world and our place in it,” said Jackson.

She is currently working on several projects, including a book.

“At the moment I am working on an anthology of poems titled Challenge Is My Motivation that I plan to publish in July. I am also working on my second dub poetry/spoken word album which is scheduled to be released in December,” Jackson shared.

Originally from Buff Bay in Portland, Jackson presently resides in Palm Bay, Florida.