Benjamin Zephaniah: Me laureate poem

Dis a Laureate rantin for de royal occasion
Mean de people no feget bout de Norman invasion
Bout de Queen an her mudder an her Philip mista
An nu feget de vista of her Caribbean sista
An de way de doubled-barrel kill de old King Harold
Wid de old King Johnnies in dere robes apparelled
Yu can't feget de Jameses and de Willims and de Georges
Cause Inglan mek dere history an it sound so gorgeous
Yu don't need fe believe it long as hands be clappin
But now dey need to listen to me riddim and me rappin
Need fe rock wid me when I'm poet by appointment
De bee what mek new jelly for de Queen's own ointment
I don't need nu sceptre nu de orb an all de baubles
Me chant bout Brixton an Handsworth an de Gorbals
You tink bout de truth an de whole disgrace an favour
When dey mek me de Reggae Roots Royal Dub Raver

From Send-Up

Benjamin Zephaniah: Me laureate poem