Brathwaite, Kamau (1930-...), is a West Indian poet, critic, and historian. Brathwaite's poetry explores Caribbean racial history and heritage and the search for identity. He uses the West Indian dialect and rhythm in much of his poetry. His best known poetry is a trilogy, consisting of Rights of Passage (1967), Masks (1968), and Islands (1969), which are printed together as Arrivants: A New World Trilogy (1973). He composed a second verse trilogy, also on Caribbean themes and his native Barbados, consisting of Mother Poem (1977), Sun Poem (1982), and X/Self (1987). Brathwaite's other books of poetry include Days and Nights (1975), Black and Blues (1976), Third World Poems (1983), Shar (1990), Middle Passages (1992), and Trenchtown Rock (1993).