Benjamin Zephaniah expresses support for ICABS campaign 23 May 2006 Novelist and poet, Benjamin Zephaniah, has expressed his support for the Irish Council Against Blood Sports campaign against animal cruelty. In a recent letter to ICABS, the popular writer outlined that he was "aware that people have started travelling over to Ireland to do their killing". "You can certainly count me as one of your supporters," he added. ICABS is delighted to have the support of Benjamin Zephaniah in our ongoing campaign to secure a ban on foxhunting, hare coursing, carted deer hunting and all forms of hunting animals with packs of dogs. Mr Zephaniah is the author of eleven books (novels and poetry), including Too Black, Too Strong, Gangsta Rap, Funky Chickens and Refugee Boy. He has also recorded several albums featuring his poetry performed over music. In 2003, he famously rejected an OBE (Officer of the Order of British Empire) from the Queen. Quoted in The Guardian, he stated: "I get angry when I hear that word 'empire'; it reminds me of slavery, it reminds of thousands of years of brutality, it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised. Benjamin Zephaniah OBE - no way Mr Blair, no way Mrs Queen. I am profoundly anti-empire." For more information on Benjamin Zephaniah, please visit his official website at: www.benjaminzephaniah.com Photos: Benjamin Zephaniah Benjamin Zephaniah with Nelson Mandela. Benjamin Zephaniah with Germaine Greer. Benjamin Zephaniah with "Have I Got News for You" team captain, Ian Hislop. Nature Trail - a poem by Benjamin Zephaniah (from 'The Little Book of Vegan Poems') At the bottom of my garden There's a hedgehog and a frog And a lot of creepy-crawlies Living underneath a log, There's a baby daddy long legs And an easy-going snail And a family of woodlice, All are on my nature trail. There are caterpillars waiting For their time to come to fly, There are worms turning the earth over As ladybirds fly by, Birds will visit, cats will visit But they always chose their time And I've even seen a fox visit This wild garden of mine. Squirrels come to nick my nuts And busy bees come buzzing And when the night time comes Sometimes some dragonflies come humming, My garden mice are very shy And I've seen bats that growl And in my garden I have seen A very wise old owl. My garden is a lively place There's always something happening, There's this constant search for food And then there's all that flowering, When you have a garden You will never be alone And I believe we all deserve A garden of our own. News Menu | Join | Top | Home