Benjamin Zephaniah

Here you have more info about Benjamin Zephaniah:

"Dr Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah was born and raised in Birmingham, England. He cannot remember a time when he was not creating poetry but this had nothing to do with school where poetry meant very little to him, in fact he had finished full time education at the age of 13. His poetry is strongly influenced by the music and poetry of Jamaica and what he calls 'street politics'.

Young writers have said that the accessibility of his work has inspired them to take up writing, many record sleeves bare witness to the fact that he has inspired many of the new generation of rappers, and of all the performance poets that emerged in the late seventies/early eighties he is one of the few that is still going strong. He has thirteen honorary doctorates in recognition of his work and a wing in a west London hospital has been named after him. Zephaniah believes that working with human rights groups, animal rights groups and other political organisations means that he will never lack subject matter. He now spends much of his time in China, but he continues working throughout Asia, South America and Africa, and is as passionate about politics and poetry now as he has ever been." http://www.benjaminzephaniah.com/

This is one of his poems and my favourite one.

The London Breed

I love dis great polluted place

Where pop stars come to live their dreams

Here ravers come for drum and bass

And politicians plan their schemes,

The music of the world is here

Dis city can play any song

They came to here from everywhere

Tis they that made dis city strong.

A world of food displayed on streets

Where all the world can come and dine

On meals that end with bitter sweets

And cultures melt and intertwine,

Two hundred languages give voice

To fifteen thousand changing years

And all religions can rejoice

With exiled souls and pioneers.

I love dis overcrowded place

Where old buildings mark men and time

And new buildings all seem to race

Up to a cloudy dank skyline,

Too many cars mean dire air

Too many guns mean danger

Too many drugs means be aware

Of strange gifts from a stranger.

It's so cool when the heat is on

And when it's cool it's so wicked

We just keep melting into one

Just like the tribes before us did,

I love dis concrete jungle still

With all its sirens and its speed

The people here united will

Create a kind of London breed.

You can find more about him here: http://www.britishcouncil.org/arts-literature-publications-and-resources-poetryquartets-benjamin-zephaniah.htm