Our teacher of Language told us to make an online test. In the class we are reading “Face” a book written by Benjamin Zephaniah. THis test is based on him.
Choose a poem by Benjamin Zephaniah and prepare an analysis. Write a paragraph explaining why you have chosen it. Focus on the message of the poem and analyse at least two literary devices present in the poem. Then, find a picture to illustrate the ideas present in the poem and post it on your blog as well. If you are good at drawing you can also make a drawing of the poem yourself. Take a picture of it and upload it too.
I have chosen the poem “Who’s Who” because although it’s short, its message proves how appearences are deceiving most of the times. The message it conveys deals with stereotypes and how mistaken they can be. In the end, despite thinking that poets were boring, he ends up being one of them. Therefore, implying that he is not boring, that he is not like everybody thinks.
The first literary device that I find is anaphora (Repetition of the same structure). E.g. “I used to, I used to, I used to”.
The second literary device that I find is alliteration (Repetiton of the same sound). E.g. “Who’s Who and Were women”.
Choose one of the following tasks and write about it.
2. Write an interview to Benjamin Zephniah as if you were a reporter. Include at least one form of emphasis and highlight it. ( between 10-12 exchanges)
Me: Hello Benjamin! When and where were you born?
Benjamin: Hi! I was born on 15th April 1958 in Birmingham, England.
Me: Can you tell me on what your poems are influenced?
Benjamin: Well, my poems are very much influenced on the music and the poetry of Jamaica.
Me: What everybody loves about you is the way you write your poems! How do you make your poems so interesting?
Benjamin: What a very good question. In my poems I include feelings that characterise me when I was a kid.
Me: Wow! That’s great. Also being a black poet must have been a challenge for you. How do you manage with that?
Benjamin: Yes! I always try to convince people that the colour of your skin doesn’t matter, whatever do you, including writing poems.
Me: But what idea came to your mind about the blacks?
Benjamin: In my case I lived many years in Handsworth where the suffer of Black people to Black people is very high.
Me: When was your first book published?
Benjamin: My first book was published when I was 22 in London by Page One Books and its name was “Pen Rhythm”.
Me: Were you the first to record in the group “Wailers”?
Benjamin: Yes, I was the first one to record in that group after the death of Bob Marley. “The Wailers” and me had recorded “Free South Africa” at Marley’s Tuff Gong Studio in Jamaica.
Me: Did you write any book for children?
Benjamin: Yes. First I didn’t appreciate writing books for children, but then I thought that it was just poetry, not children’s or adult’s poetry. Then I publish the book that was called “Talking Turkeys”.
Me: And what about bullies, drugs, racism, war and being a vegan?
Benjamin: I have written many stories about racism, people that are bullies and drugs, like “Face” in 1999. Because I am a passionate vegan I wrote stories about animals.
Me: The last question. Do you think you change people’s mind with your writings?
Benjamin: Yes, I think that my writings could have changed people’s mind because what I express on them is how reality is.
Me: Thanks for the time! I have learnt many things that I didn’t know before about you. Hope to see you again soon. Bye.
Benjamin: It is great that you have learnt more things about me. It was a good interview. Bye!