Zephaniah
by Diane Mulligan, proud mother, Indonesia
(Written on National Poetry Day 5th October 2000)
Across the world there are six children named after me. It amazes me, and it’s quite an honour. This poem was written by Diane Mulligan the mother of Zephaniah Mulligan, who used to live in Indonesia but has now relocated to Brighton. He’s got muscles, he’s got style, and he’s a vegan. He came to my house once and we went into my gym where he beat me up.So I read him a story and put him to sleep!
Zephaniah, my boy, named in honour of a voice.
Enables nations to read rhythms like relations
Poetry that questions what we learn in lessons
He untwists his words and untangles the verbs:
About animals and vegans; justice and reasons
No going back to life to crime
Instead going forward a little at a rhyme
Aren’t we lucky that we came to know
Hair that forms a garden in which a thousand poems grow.
