Neighbours Poem by Benjamin Zephaniah
Neighbours
I am the type you are supposed to fear
Black and foreign
Big and dreadlocks
An uneducated grass eater.
I talk in tongues
I chant at night
I appear anywhere,
I sleep with lions
And when the moon gets me
I am a Wailer.
I am moving in
Next door to you
So you can get to know me,
You will see my shadow
In the bathroom window,
My aromas will occupy
Your space,
Our ball will be in your court.
How will you feel?
You should feel good
You have been chosen.
I am the type you are supposed to love
Dark and mysterious
Tall and natural
Thinking, tea total.
I talk in schools
I sing on TV
I am in the papers,
I keep cool cats
And when the sun is shining
I go Carnival.
Sums up contemporary, casual racism so well. Come and be my neighbour Benjamin - we go Carnival together!
what a lovely, humble and straighforward of autobiographical words!
A wonderful chosen piece for Modern Poem of the day. You must know a persons inside not their outside.
Most deserving as The Modern Poem Of The Day. Congratulations, dear Benjamin!
Most deserving as The Modern Poem Of The Day. Congratulations from my heart, dear Benjamin. I like all your poems, all are brilliant poems, one by one. I know your history, so most respect from my side
I truly like his poems very much, despite his not being able to write in correct english he has created so many poems, all very brilliant poems, one by one and he has won so many prizes in Litertaure/poetry, because he dares to write what he thinks, very amazing!
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/17/2024 3:56:22 PM # 1.0.0.1119
In the second part of the poem, the first line is repeated, with the word “love” instead of “fear”. The negative descriptives have been changed into positives. Prejudice makes you see the negative because you are afraid of the unknown.: Instead of raging and increasing the fear factor, his tone is humorous.