UKH

I have just been moved by listening to Benjamin Zephaniah on BBC 4's World at One. He was reading out his latest poem, which is a re-imagining of Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. What a wonderful man Zephania is. This link just includes the poem:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p08px03s

The link below includes the interview, which is also very very apposite in today's atmosphere. I hope our so-called Prime Minister listens to it, but I doubt it. Without ever raising his voice or using offensive language he destroys Johnson's comments on Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory. What a man!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000m09s

He's great, a man I've grown to respect a lot over the years he's been broadcasting

The problem is, and you alluded to it, the people who should hear the poem won't.

First time I heard of him was reading ‘Rebel’ on Toddla T’s album. A true icon of my country.

Taking part in some flyering or something similar in effect to spread the poem could be a plan.

  In reply to Toccata:

First time I saw him was at Morcome rail station a WOMAD Festival  eirly 1990 suppose 

it may have been when he had a residency in Liverpool  his work in a Liverpool home blood axe books was the same sort of time,  anyhow the point is:  the train  arriving with granny and granddad who had no doubt spent every summers holiday in the town  since honeymoon disembarking in the mist of  a BZ set   was almost the best part about it. Had a Martian walked through the arrivals hall it would have been unnoticed  

Top man and wonderful MLK speech

For anyone who doesn't want to listen to the whole program, for the poem he is at 22 mins in.

When I was in Secondary school the English GCSE Anthology has a BZ poem in it for analysis (along with Half Caste by John agard that’s always stuck in my psyche) - I think it was ‘No problem’, - 1996

...and he's on Peaky Blinders!

Heard some of his autobiography being serialised on radio 4 once. I've been meaning to read the whole thing but haven't quite got round to it yet. 

Thanks, I meant to put that in but forgot.

It's a great read. 

I think BZ would be a great choice for poet laureate. He's somebody who can actually connect with people.

carefully now you will be suggesting a OBE next 

💭 think 🤔 

If you like Zephaniah, you should also look up Linton Kwesi Johnson.