I need some help with a poem

[ravtino]

I have been studying a poem called Biko the Greatness by Benjamin Zephaniah, and I want to know when he wrote it, I have trawled round the net and found no mention of him writing this, so I thought there may be a fan of his on here!!!!!!

Here's hoping

[KarenScott]

it is in his book "Too Black, Too Strong" but I don't know when he wrote it. i'll try and find out.

[E. Cosgrove]

There are lots of poetry books on Amazon by this author, but short of buying them all, not sure of how you would find out when it was written.....sorry[msnsad]

[ravtino]

I got as far as finding that it was in the book Too Black Too Strong which was published in 2001, but since Biko was murdered in 77 I just wondered, maybe I should let my curious mind rest!!!

[KarenScott]

what exactly do yo want to know?

[ravtino]

I want to know when he wrote that one poem - Biko the Greatness, it seems a long time after Bikos murder(77) for hime to write in in 2001, so I thought he must have wrote it before[msnsmile2]

[rogerdunnaker]

What does it matter when he wrote it?

[sundowner]

The extract below from Wikipedia mentions his writing from 1969 - not sure whether it when he actually wrote it bit it might help.


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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I Write What I Like (full name I Write What I Like: Selected Writings by Steve Biko) is a compilation of writings from anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko.

I Write What I Like contains a selection of Biko's writings from 1969, when he became the president of the South African Student Organization, to 1972, when he was prohibited from publishing. Originally published in 1978, the book was republished in April 2002.

I Write What I Like reflects Biko's conviction that black people in South Africa could not be liberated until they united to break their chains of servitude, a key tenet of the Black Consciousness Movement that he helped found.

The collection was edited by Aelred Stubbs. The book includes a preface by Archbishop Desmond Tutu; an introduction by Malusi and Thoko Mpumlwana, who were both involved with Biko in the Black Consciousness Movement; a memoir of Biko by Father Aelred Stubbs, his longtime pastor and friend; and a new foreword by Professor Lewis Gordon.[1]

[florida4sun]

I his refers to Bikos writings and not Benjamin Zephaniah. I would guess Benjamin wrote this closer to the book release date than to Bikos departure as Benjamin would have been 11 at that time and getting expelled from school for being unruly[msnsmile2], I have met the guy a couple of times at concerts, nice bloke.



<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by sundowner

The extract below from Wikipedia mentions hi s writing from 1969 - not sure whether it when he actually wrote it bit it might help.


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

I Write What I Like (full name I Write What I Like: Selected Writings by Steve Biko) is a compilation of writings from anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko.

I Write What I Like contains a selection of Biko's writings from 1969, when he became the president of the South African Student Organization, to 1972, when he was prohibited from publishing. Originally published in 1978, the book was republished in April 2002.

I Write What I Like reflects Biko's conviction that black people in South Africa could not be liberated until they united to break their chains of servitude, a key tenet of the Black Consciousness Movement that he helped found.

The collection was edited by Aelred Stubbs. The book includes a preface by Archbishop Desmond Tutu; an introduction by Malusi and Thoko Mpumlwana, who were both involved with Biko in the Black Consciousness Movement; a memoir of Biko by Father Aelred Stubbs, his longtime pastor and friend; and a new foreword by Professor Lewis Gordon.[1]
[/quote]

[KarenScott]

Jacqueline
Please tell me you are not still looking for the date[msnembarrased]?
Karen