Benjamin P-Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah born 15 April, 1958, Birmingham, England.

He is a well-know figure in contemporary English literature and was included in 'The Times' list of Britain's post-war writers in 2008.

TALKING TURKEYS

From "Talking Turkeys"

Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas

Cos' turkeys just wanna hav fun

Turkeys are cool, turkeys are wicked

An every turkey has a Mum.

Be nice to yu turkeys dis christmas,

Don't eat it, keep it alive,

It could be yu mate, an not on your plate

Say, Yo! Turkey I'm on your side.

I got lots of friends who are turkeys

An all of dem fear christmas time.

Dey wanna enjoy it, dey say humans desroy it

An humans are out of dere mind,

Yeah, I got lots of friends who are turkeys

Dey all have a right to a life,

Not to be caged up an geneically made up

By any farmer n his wife.

Turkey just wanna play reggae

Turkeys just wanna hip-hop

Can yu imagine a nice young turkey saying,

"I cannot wait for de chop,"

Turkeys like getting presents, dey wanna watch chrismas TV,

Turkeys ha brains and turkeys feel pain

In many ways like yu and me.

I once knew a turkey called...TURKEY

He said "Benji explain to me please,

Who put de turkey in christmas

An what happens to christmas trees?",

I said "I am not too sure turkey

But it's nothing to do with Christmas Mass

Humans get greedy and waste more dan need be

An business men mek loadsa cash'.

Be nice to yu turkey dis christmas

Invite dem indoors fe sum greens

Let dem eat cake an let dem partake

In a plate of organic grown beans.

Be nice to your turkey dis christmas

An spare dem de cut of de knife,

Join Turkeys United an deyll be delighted

An yu will mek new friends 'FOR LIFE'.

(Best read aloud accented - it has a great rhythm.) or listen to Benjamin telling it as it should, you'll certainly get the rhythm!

Suggested by one of our Members