Contemporary literature: Ethnic writing, handout4

Benjamin Zephaniah – “Talking Turkeys”

1 Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas 24 I once knew a turkey called…Turkey

2 Cos’ turkeys just wanna hav fun 25 He said “Benji explain to me please,
3 Turkeys are cool, turkeys are wicked 26 Who put de turkey in christmas
4 An every turkey has a Mum. 27 An what happens to christmas trees?”,
5 Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas, 28 I said “I am not too sure turkey
6 Don’t eat it, keep it alive, 29 But it‘s nothing to do wid Christ Mass
7 It could be yu mate, an not on your plate 30 Humans get greedy an waste more dan need be
8 Say, Yo! Turkey I’m on your side. 31 An business men mek loadsa cash’.
9 I got lots of friends who are turkeys
10 An all of dem fear christmas time, 32 Be nice to yu turkey dis christmas
11 Dey wanna enjoy it, dey say humans destroyed it 33 Invite dem indoors fe sum greens
12 An humans are out of dere mind, 34 Let dem eat cake an let dem partake
13 Yeah, I got lots of friends who are turkeys 35 In a plate of organic grown beans,
14 Dey all hav a right to a life, 36 Be nice to yu turkey dis christmas
15 Not to be caged up an genetically made up 37 An spare dem de cut of de knife,
16 By any farmer an his wife. 38 Join Turkeys United an dey’ll be delighted
39 An yu will mek new friends ‘FOR LIFE’.
17 Turkeys just wanna play reggae
18 Turkeys just wanna hip-hop
19 Can yu imagine a nice young turkey saying,
20 ‘I cannot wait for de chop’,
21 Turkeys like getting presents, dey wanna watch christmas TV,
22 Turkeys hav brains an turkeys feel pain
23 In many ways like yu an me.