I’m feeling a sense of shock that a bright light has gone out so soon. His impact on the world has been so profound it will take some time to describe his influence on poetry, literature and humanity.
His poetry brought pure joy in the way he always tried to remind us that we had more in common than that which divides us. Poems like ‘London Breed’ and ‘The British’. His poems jumped off the page with their energy and use of dialect he could connect directly with his audience. It wasn’t poetry for endless essays on language techniques and structure (he used them in abundance). His poetry was for performance.
I remember the opening page of “Refugee Boy,” another reminder that behind the word refugee or asylum seeker, there is a story of pain, suffering and loss.
He received a lot of hate for turning down the OBE but would people bother to look behind the symbolism of the award or the damage slavery and colonialism has inflicted on the world. In a world where people are willing to sacrifice their principles for raw ambition; he stood strong.
From his humble beginnings in Handsworth Birmingham dealing with the daily brutality of racist insults and physical abuse, he used his pain to make a difference.
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