Description
Book SynopsisCity Psalms was Benjamin Zephaniah's first collection from Bloodaxe back in 1992. It includes some of his best-known poems, including 'Dis Poetry', 'Money' and 'Us and Dem'. Best known for his performance poetry with a political edge for adults – and his poetry with attitude for children – Zephaniah has his own rap/reggae band. He has produced numerous recordings, including Dub Ranting (1982), Rasta (1983), Us and Dem (1990), Back to Roots (1995), Belly of de Beast (1996) and Naked (2004). He was the first person to record with the Wailers after the death of Bob Marley, in a musical tribute to Nelson Mandela, which Mandela heard while in prison on Robben Island. Their later meetings led to Zephaniah working with children in South African townships and hosting the President’s Two Nations Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1996. His first book of poems, Pen Rhythm, was produced in 1980 by a small East London publishing cooperative, Page One Books. His second collection, The Dread Affair, was published by Hutchinson’s short-lived Arena imprint in 1985. He has since published three collections with Bloodaxe, City Psalms (1992), Propa Propaganda (1996) and Too Black Too Strong (2001), the latter including poems written while working with Michael Mansfield QC and other Tooks barristers on the Stephen Lawrence case. To Do Wid Me, filmed by Pamela Robertson-Pearce (Bloodaxe Books, 2013), includes a full-length feature film on DVD with all the poems performed on the film included in the book.
Table of Contents9 Foreword by Bob Mole 11 Man to Man 12 Dis Poetry 14 A Bomb 15 A bomb pusher writes 17 Overstanding 18 Speak 19 A writer rants 20 Money (rant) 24 No rights red an half dead 25 According to my mood 26 The Cold War 28 As a African 29 My God! Your God! 30 A Picture of a Sign 32 Yo Bowy 33 Tiananmen Square 34 Royals do it too 37 Black Whole 38 Rapid Rapping (rant) 41 Call it what yu like 44 Us & Dem 46 Cut de crap 47 Me green poem 51 Comrades an Frens 52 A modern slave song 53 U-Turn 54 How’s dat 55 She’s crying for many 57 Question 58 The SUN 60 Ringside 62 Black Politics of Today 64 The Old Truth
