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‘A scribe once said I have a nice bottom!’

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Getting politically poetical with Benjamin Zephaniah before his Mumbai performance If you’re approached by a journalist who says that your poetry couldn’t be any good because too many people like it, you can be reasonably sure you’re on the right track. Benjamin Zephaniah courts such compliments as a matter of everyday banter. Performing on Thursday at Salt Water Grill, even he’s clueless about what it’s going to entail. “Most of the time I don’t know exactly what I’ll be doing until I walk on stage. I just know that I love performing in India, I’ve been here 11 times and I never get tired of the (rather large) country and its people.” As a poet and political activist he’s a striking figure in Britain having written and raised public attention particularly to racism. “Literature is political. Even if you don’t say anything political, once you start writing, questions arise

about who publishes you, what are you allowed to write, etc. So the only real question is are you going to address these questions, and however you answer them is political,” he explains. When rhymes ranged from a lament for a turkey (he’s a fierce vegan) to how “Smart big awards and prize money/Is killing off black poetry”, it wasn’t a total surprise when he denied receiving an OBE honour (a bigger deal since when he did so publicly). “I just wanted to let people know how I felt,” he says. On his 12th visit to India he’s expecting the usual lot of the unexpected. “I believe I will see even more rich people and even more poor people. I fear the pollution in the cities is even worse, but the literature is even better.” In between rhyming sessions, there’s yoga, tai-chi and kung-fu to contend with. Friendships with Nelson Mandela to revel in. “Every time I see him I can’t believe that he remembers me. He represents the power of

forgiveness.” And occasionally memorable compliments to live by. “A journalist once said that I have a nice bottom!” s_rituparnaPeter H

 

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