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Yes, very sad indeed. Although I've never read much of his work, I loved seeing him talk on TV and always agreed with his view on things. A gentle man of wit, principle and positivity.
I remember when I was 15 (so 2004-ish) we all had to go to the theatre in Milton Keynes in the daytime to watch all the poets who were featured in our GCSE English Literature study book.
Included the future (at that time) poet laureates of Carol Ann Duffy and Simon Armitage, who are boring now and were boring then as well.
But then Benjamin Zephaniah came on and wowed all the kids with his performance. Brilliant guy. Shame his poems weren't part of the exams and coursework we got set.
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Benjamin Zephaniah RIP on 15:56 - Dec 7 with 4037 views
Christ, Simon Armitage. GCSE English literature still haunts me..."I am very bothered when I think of the bad things I have done in my life"....Yeah it bothered me too Simon because I had to bloody study it.
Anyway, rest in Peace Benjamin Zephaniah, came across as a good sort.
Didn't this guy admit to knocking his ex-girlfriend about? Along with a whole bunch of other detestable shit? A complex character you might say, but still surprised to see this thread on here without any mention of that.
"Someone despises me. That's their problem." Marcus Aurelius
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Benjamin Zephaniah RIP on 12:41 - Dec 8 with 3284 views
Yes, he admitted to it and regretted hitting her. Strangely, when he later apologised to her, she called him a wimp for doing so and said a man should control his woman.
He wasn't perfect but, of course, no one is. Nonetheless, he was a wonderful human being.
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Benjamin Zephaniah RIP on 13:20 - Dec 8 with 3231 views
That's interesting, had to look up the full quote “She turned around to me and said, 'I liked you then, I think you're a wimp now, you've been hanging out with too many white feminists and listening to Radio 4.' It really blew me away. She just laughed at me and said, 'A man has got to learn how to control his women, Benjamin. You’ve lost it."
I find this quote slightly difficult to believe tbh, specifically the listening to Radio 4 bit (How would she know? People who disagree with Radio 4 BS tend not to tune in) and the use of the words "Wimp" and "White feminisits". A little bit too perfect. Or maybe it's poetic license.
Still not convinced "wonderful human being" is proportionate, but each to their own.
"Someone despises me. That's their problem." Marcus Aurelius
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Benjamin Zephaniah RIP on 13:37 - Dec 8 with 3198 views
"Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1."
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Benjamin Zephaniah RIP on 14:17 - Dec 8 with 3121 views
Met the man many times and yes he had a past, but if you can bring yourself to believe in change and redemption he was living proof. A truly gentle soul but armed with a razor sharp intellect, with time for everybody, a rebel and a traditionalist, he was both a great Britain and an eternal immigrant. he was, or became, one of the very good guys no doubt. We will miss his hard earned wisdom.
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. RIP. 
