Behind Every Cloud

Forced migration has always brought about untold psychological effects on its victims. Interestingly, trying to settle in the host country is not the beginning of the mental anguish—negative emotional effects begin in the very environment where the troubles that compelled out-migration developed. Beyond the Clouds reveals a similar pattern. It utilizes various poems to chronicle the author’s experiences from July 18, 1995 (when the Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat, rumbled to life), to present and to provide a framework for understanding the forced-migrant experience. Most relocated Montserratian migrants have found the transition rather difficult. The book purposes to give encouragement and hope to all forced migrants, especially relocated Montserratian students whose achievement motivation levels nose-dived to distressing levels very soon after arriving in England. It has significant educational value and can function as a supplementary text to enhance lessons across the curriculum at preprimary, secondary, and secondary+ levels.