Final farewell to the cherished people's poet, Benjamin Zephaniah
December 28th 2023 marked a poignant, cold, and gloomy day as we bid our final farewell to the cherished people's poet, Benjamin Zephaniah. Family and close friends assembled to pay their respects in a secluded field chosen for a natural burial, aligning with Benjamin's wishes and those of his family. The ceremony unfolded as a simple and unpretentious affair, devoid of unnecessary embellishments.
Benjamin's eco-friendly wicker coffin, crafted from biodegradable material, was gently carried on a simple wooden cart, adorned with the vibrant Rastafarian colours—red, gold, and green. The serene setting featured a humble marquee in the midst of a field, complete with a raised stage to host the proceedings. The Nayabinghi Drummers, consisting of Ras Tread, Asha Barnes, and Jaja Joseph, skillfully set a reverent tone for the event.
Amidst the heartfelt gathering, recordings of Benjamin reading his poems resonated through the P.A. system, creating a poignant atmosphere. Close friends and esteemed individuals, such as artists Yas Alexander and Sound system DJ Wayne Irie, poets Martin Glyn and Lemn Sissay, as well as cherished family members, including his brother, were present to pay their respects and offered moving and heartfelt tributes to Benjamin’s distinctive character and steadfast principles.
Tippa Benjamin’s brother read a letter from Benjamin’s mother, conveying the heart-wrenching pain of a mother losing her son and including one of Benjamin’s renowned poems, “I love me mudder and me mudder loves me.” Benjamin was lauded for his charismatic and infectious personality, along with his unwavering devotion to his family and zest for life.
The service featured soulful playing and chanting by the Nayabinghi, drummers adding a poignant and rhythmic touch to the farewell ceremony. As Benjamin’s body was lowered into the ground, his recitation of the poem ‘Naked’ echoed reminding us that we enter this world naked and leave it the same way, shedding all material desires and belongings. This particular poem, a scathing critique of the corrupt Babylonian capitalist system, served as a powerful reminder of his commitment to holding warmongers, corrupt politicians, false preachers, and racist police officers to account. Benjamin sought a more just and egalitarian world, expressing his love as a family-loving, justice-seeking, planet-centred, and uncompromising vegan revolutionary.
As the poem reverberated across the green and pleasant land, not paved with gold, Benjamin’s coffin was lowered into the ground. One by one, his family and friends gently covered it with mother earth, concluding the poem just as the heavens opened up, and the rain poured down. Attendees made their way back to their parked cars, which had to be pulled out of the mud by the farmer’s buggy, creating an unintentional but fitting end to the ceremony.
The family are in the process of arranging several high-profile events throughout 2024, providing an opportunity for community members locally, nationally, and internationally to pay their respects to the people’s poet. Below is the final verse of Benjamin’s poem 'Naked'
"Dis is me, squeeze me. Let me free me.
I have come to realise that what you can do for me
I can do much better for me.
Let me do for my loved ones what you will not do for them
I want to hold the hands of my loved ones
(Those who have no one to vote for)
and cause a victorious rumble in dis black universe.
I am naked, whispering screams in the church
of the impatient revolutionaries. I may be
vulnerable, I may not have the education of my critics or
the wealth of my arresting officers, but I have
never felt the need to wear a uniform in order
to break laws and I have never felt the need to
eat dead bodies in order to feel like a good human.”