The Power of Poetry
October is Black History month and Monday’s assembly featured a poem by Benjamin Zephaniah, the renowned British poet, writer, actor, and activist known for his dynamic performances, anti-racism campaigning, and strong social commentary.
He was born in Birmingham in 1958 and had an early life that included significant troubles – he was expelled from school at the age of 13 and spent time in prison, which he credited for changing his outlook and turning him into a campaigner through poetry and activism. He also developed a belief in anarchism, the idea that people could live successfully and happily without laws or government. He retained elements of such beliefs throughout his life, for example turning down an OBE in 2003, but became one of the best known poets of his time.
The poem we featured in assembly was entitled ‘The British’:
‘Take some Picts, Celts and Silures
And let them settle,
Then overrun them with Roman conquerors.
Remove the Romans after approximately 400 years
Add lots of Norman French to some
Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Vikings, then stir vigorously.
Mix some hot Chileans, cool Jamaicans, Dominicans,
Trinidadians and Bajans with some Ethiopians, Chinese,
Vietnamese and Sudanese.
Then take a blend of Somalians, Sri Lankans, Nigerians
And Pakistanis,
Combine with some Guyanese
And turn up the heat.
Sprinkle some fresh Indians, Malaysians, Bosnians,
Iraqis and Bangladeshis together with some
Afghans, Spanish, Turkish, Kurdish, Japanese
And Palestinians
Then add to the melting pot.
Leave the ingredients to simmer.
As they mix and blend, allow their languages to flourish
Binding them together with English.
Allow time to be cool.
Add some unity, understanding, and respect for the future,
Serve with justice
And enjoy.’
At the end of the poem, Zephaniah added a note and a warning:
Note: All the ingredients are equally important. Treating one ingredient better than another will leave a bitter unpleasant taste.
Warning: An unequal spread of justice will damage the people and cause pain. Give justice and equality to all.
Benjamin Zephaniah died in December 2023 at the age of 65. As a sign of how far his life’s journey had taken him from his troubled beginnings, tributes poured in from a wide and diverse set of individuals, many of whom would be regarded as being part of the establishment he himself struggled to accept, perhaps another illustration of the belief that in the end, there is always more that unites than divides us.
Have a great weekend
Best wishes
Michael Bond
