Benjamin Zephaniah
’Twaz broad daylight,
Kool breeze waz
Blowing
Going
East, north, south
West.
Me mind waz fine
Relatively speaking,
Me body waz
Present,
An Natty Dread me deputy waz
As always
Chilled.
It happened quick,
Professionally done
We knew exactly wot hit us.
De sheriff shot I an me
An den he shot me deputy.
For a moment we forgot dat we
Represented
Sum criminal statistics
…
My ears are battered and burned an I have just learnt
I’ve been listening to the rong radio station
My mind has been brutalised now the pain can’t be disguised
I’ve been listening to the rong radio station,
I was beginning to believe that all black men were bad men
and white men would reign again
I was beginning to believe that i was a mindless drugs freak
That couldn’t control my sanity or my sexuality
I was beginning to believe that I…
‘The peace garden is opposite the War Memorial,’
Said the old soldier.
‘We had to fight to make peace
Back in the good old days.’
‘No the War Memorial is opposite the peace garden,’
Said the old pacifist.
‘You’ve had so many wars to end all wars,
Still millions are dying from the wars you left behind.’
‘Look,’ said the old soldier.
‘You chickens stuck your peace garden
In front of our War Memorial to cause non-…
