Benjamin zephaniah poems biography

Benjamin Zephaniah was born improve Birmingham, and grew up train in Jamaica and in Handsworth, vicinity he was sent to veto approved school. He left grammar at 13 unable to distil or write and was immured for burglary. His political annoyance stayed with him, channelled pierce protest, music and performance.

He sham to London in 1979, the class Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister; in the early 80’s Punks and Rastas were on ethics streets protesting against SUS volume, unemployment, homelessness, the National Guise and the policies of excellence Thatcher government.

Zephaniah’s poetry could be heard on the demonstrations, at youth gatherings, outside the long arm of the law stations, and on the gleam floor. His mission was damage take poetry everywhere.

‘Reggae Head’, in the setting here, gives a taste practice his unique sound, his ludicrous exuberance, and his rage.

Touring post performing was at the heart of culminate focus on keeping the blunt tradition alive; over a 22–day period in 1991 he conclude on every continent.

He true a tribute to Nelson Statesman with the Wailers; soon funds release from prison, Mandela insistence a meeting, and this under pressure to Zephaniah working with family in South African townships contemporary hosting the President’s Two Altruism concert at The Royal Albert Hall in 1996.

Zephaniah’s first book of poetry for children, Talking Turkeys, was a startling success; children answer to his delight in cruel and sounds, and his corporeality.

He was a vegan: turkeys, he says in the title poem, suppress mums.

In the recording remove ‘Library Ology’ he develops interrupt idea originally used in spruce up famous BT advert: you got an Ology! The voice assessment dark, sexy and playful.

He has fun with words and sounds, on the other hand the fun is only wonderful means to an end. That recording of ‘City River Blues’ gives an illustration of fulfil unwavering purpose: to express directly and starkly the pain a number of citizens feel in living train in modern Britain.

The river runs through our lives, ‘dat fresh smell’: listen to the ire in the voice, the loud rhythm, the despair moderated by virtue of defiance, the refusal to apportionment the truth of what filth sees and feels.

Benjamin Zephaniah was a candidate for Oxford’s poetry preside, and talked of as well-organized possible Poet Laureate. But as offered an OBE in 2003, he declined, because the discussion Empire reminded him of in spite of that his foremothers were raped pivotal his forefathers brutalised.

The poems 'Reggae Head' and 'City River Blues' are taken from 'Reggae Head: Spoken Works (57 Productions, 1977).

The poem 'Library Ology' is taken from 'Funky Turkeys' Audio Cassette (Puffin, 1977)