ARTICLE: Smart Issue
How long does it take Benjamin to write a poem? What does he do if he gets writers block?
The Smart Issue - October 1998
When did you start writing?
Even before I was able to write I was creating poems. I have always been doing it, I can't remember starting.
When did you decide you wanted to be a poet? And why?
I didn't decide, I just was. When I realised that other people were interested in what I had to say, I began to do lots of poetry readings and make television appearances.
What was the title of your first poem and when was it published?
I really can't remember. I sent some poems to various magazines, some were published, some were not.
Which of the books you've written is your favourite and why? When was it published? Do you think your readers would also think it's your best book?
My favourite book is 'School's Out'. It was published in 1997 and I like it because it is completely uncensored, raw and lots of parents don't approve of it, that why I think kids like it.
Do you enjoy writing poems? Do you think your readers like reading them?
I love poems like I love life. I thinhk if my readers didn't like reading them, they wouldn't be my readers.
Can you give us some tips on how to write poems?
Write about subjects close to your heart. be honest. Try to use normal speech patterns. If you are rhyming, don't force the rhymes and if you are writing something funny, make sure ir makes you lauch and then try it on friends.
Do you worry about getting stuck when you're writing a poem?
No. When you worry about it, you get stuck.
Do you ever get jealous of other poets' poems? If yes, which poets are they?
No. We all have our place. We are all needed and if we are not needed, we are usually told by the public.
If you are not pleased with a poem what do you do?
Stop reading it, stop writing it, or if I see it on the streets, I walk on the other side of the road.
How long does it take to write a poem?
Impossible to say. I once wrote a very long poem in fifteen minutes, then I also wrote a short poem in three weeks.
Did anyone try teaching you to write poems or were you mostly self-taught?
I was completely self-taught.
Did you write any poems when you were a child?
I created poems in my head but I didn't write them down.
Is it fun to be a poet?
I wouldn't do it if I didn't love it, but there are ups and downs. Most of all i love travelling around the world and meeting people.
Do you write your poems on a word processor/a typewriter/by hand?
By hand.
What sort of books do you like to read?
Poetry, historical and funny books.
What are your favourite foods and drinks?
Fav foods: butterbean stew. Fav drinks: banana juice.
What was your best and your worst subject at school?
Worst subject: maths
Best subject: Kiss chase
Have you got any pets? If yes, what animal is it and what is its name?
No. I live next door to a man who hates everything. If he found a cat in his garden he would kill it. I wouldn't want an animal to go anywhere near him.
Do you have any hobbies, like swimming, cycling, football or gardening?
Collecting banknotes (numismatics), kung fu, jogging and restoring my old sports car.
Are there any instruments you play?
I play bass guitar - not very well.
We have heard you are a vegetarian. Why?
I can't eat my friends. In face, I'm a vegan. I won't take a baby's milk or eat eggs. I believe in leaving the animal world alone.
What are your favourite TV programmes and your worst?
I love documentaries that let us know the truth and I love Kung Fu films. I hate all game shows and those dramas that try to make black people look like criminals.
Do you have a mascot to help you write?
No.
How long is your hair?
Somewhere down by my bum.
