Understanding the poem 'No Problem' by Benjamin Zephaniah
I can explain how Zephaniah presents racial conflict in Britain.
Understanding the poem 'No Problem' by Benjamin Zephaniah
I can explain how Zephaniah presents racial conflict in Britain.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Zephaniah was born in Birmingham, and grew up during the 1960s and 1970s.
- Growing up, Zephaniah suffered racial abuse.
- 'No Problem' is based on Zephaniah's own experiences; he is the speaker in the poem.
- The poem is about Zephaniah's self worth, growing up in a society which did not value him.
- Zephaniah was a dub poet who mostly performed his poetry with reggae music.
Keywords
Prejudice - preconceived opinion or judgement, often negative, towards a group
Racism - discrimination or prejudice based on race or ethnicity
Patois - regional or non-standard language, often characterised by slang or dialectical variations
Dub poet - a poet who performs their work to reggae music
Common misconception
Benjamin Zephaniah wrote in an exaggerated phonetic way to represent the accent of the speaker.
Zephaniah was a dub poet which meant that he performed his work aloud. This phonetic spelling should be viewed more as a transcription of Zephaniah's own cultural patois.
Equipment
You will need access to a copy of 'No Problem' by Benjamin Zephaniah. You can find this poem in the Edexcel Poetry anthology ('Conflict' cluster)
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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