Benjamin Zephaniah webquest

You are going to research the poet Benjamin Zephaniah and the style of poetry he
favours, called Dub poetry (a form of performance poetry of West Indian origin, which
evolved out of dub music consisting of spoken word over reggae rhythms in Jamaica in
the 1970s).

 Firstly, you will need to go to this website by following the link here:
http://benjaminzephaniah.com/

TASK A

Use the home page to answer the following questions:

1. What does Benjamin Zephaniah class himself as? What do you understand each of
these things to mean?
2. Scroll down this page and look at the photographs, images, quotations etc. What
impressions does his website give of Benjamin Zephaniah? (E.g. a bold personality)
3. The quotation ‘Forward ever, backward never’ is used on this part of Zephaniah’s
site. What do you think it means? Does he explain it?

TASK B

Now go to ‘Biography’ (the pen icon).

1. Write down 5-10 interesting facts about Zephaniah that you’ve discovered from
reading his biography.
2. Click on the ‘Testimonials’ section and skim read one of the testimonials. In a few
bullet points, what does it say about Zephaniah? Why does it say he is remarkable?
3. Now look at the section entitled ‘CV type thing’. What does it list? What
impression does it give you of Zephaniah?

TASK C

Click on the section entitled ‘Rhymin’ (microphone icon).

1. Read his poem ‘Who’s who’. What does it imply about women, the police and,
finally, poets?
2. What point is Zephaniah making about society and the way we see things?
3. Now scroll down to page two of this section and read Zephaniah’s poem
‘Neighbours’. Read it carefully in order to answer the next questions.
4. What does Zephaniah say his ‘type’ is?

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 Benjamin Zephaniah webquest

5. Why does he say that he is ‘moving in next door to you’?

6. He then twists things around. What does he mean by ‘I am the type you are
supposed to love’?
7. Now list all of the good things Zephaniah tells you about himself. What point do
you think he is making about his ‘type’ and himself?
8. Think about the word ‘stereotype’. Why might this word be relevant to the poem?

TASK D

1. Now go to YouTube and watch the following clip of Zephaniah in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrLDEhqgbpo
As you watch the animated version of ‘Dis poetry’ think about how Zephaniah
classifies his poetry. What words does he use to describe his poetry? Do you find
the animation effective or not ... why?
2. Now watch a few minutes of this clip of Zephaniah:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8U8J5UjaAE
3. Why does he say he refused an OBE (Order of British Empire – an honour granted by
the Queen)? How does he trace his refusal of the OBE back to his roots?

TASK E

1. Think about the poetry of Benjamin Zephaniah as compared to an earlier poet such
as John Donne or William Blake. Is Zephaniah as gifted? Or more? Do you think he
will be as famous as the other poets you have studied in years to come?

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