Benjamin Zephaniah

Sue Lawley's castaway on this week's Desert Island Discs is dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah. As well as talking about his work as a performance poet often working in prisons or schools, Benjamin recalls a time when he was illiterate. He also remembers Nelson Mandela's request to meet him at seven o'clock in the morning to brief him on Margaret Thatcher.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Choices

1.

Sinéad O’Connor

Fire On Babylon

Others who chose this artist

2.

George Formby

Little Ukulele

Others who chose this artist

3.

Leonard Cohen

Last Year's Man

Others who chose this artist

4.

Burning Spear

Marcus Garvey

Others who chose this artist

5.

Mikey Smith

Mi Cyaan Believe It

Others who chose this artist

6.

Bally Sagoo

Chura Liya

Others who chose this artist

7.

Castaway's favourite

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Take Five

Others who chose this artist

8.

Steel Pulse

Klu Klux Klan

Others who chose this artist

Book

Poetical Works of Shelley by Percy Shelley

Others who chose this author

Luxury item

Law of the land (so he could break it)

Others who chose a similar luxury