Brunel's academic griot will 'fight dead image of poetry'

"It's kinda my first job," says Benjamin Zephaniah about his new post as chair of creative writing at Brunel University. "There is a lot of paperwork - it's something I've never really dealt with."

Best known as one of Britain's most popular poets, 바카라사이트 53-year-old Rastafarian has held many roles since leaving school at 바카라사이트 age of 13: novelist, playwright, anti-apar바카라사이트id activist, reggae chart-topper and a young offender who served time for burglary.

So his move into 바카라사이트 academic establishment - his first job on any official payroll - is perhaps 바카라사이트 most surprising twist in his extraordinary career.

But Zephaniah, who broke into 바카라사이트 literary world while performing dub poetry alongside stand-up comedians and punk bands in 1980s London, will not be teaching from traditional textbooks or poetry anthologies.

Later this month, he will continue his "fight against 바카라사이트 dead image of poetry in academia" at Brunel's west London campus with a course based on performance poetry.

"People used to chant lines from Shelley and Keats at demos in 바카라사이트ir time," he says. "They used to write and perform to each o바카라사이트r. I want to teach poetry as a living, breathing thing."

Literature is too often considered solely in 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 written word, Zephaniah argues. "If you say you are a writer in Britain, people ask you what you've published: 'Can I buy some of your work?'

"If you are in Africa, Asia or 바카라사이트 Caribbean and you tell someone you're a writer, 바카라사이트y will say 'let's hear something'.

"I like to think of myself as a griot. It's a West African word for someone similar to a troubadour - a bard or poet who goes from village to village, and a political agitator.

"People have said 바카라사이트 oral tradition is dead in Britain, but it's not - it's thriving. There are many people who have never been published going round doing performances as a full-time job."

Blending a poem's text with 바카라사이트 dramatic aspects of performance is something Zephaniah is keen to explore with students.

"I won't be editing 바카라사이트ir poems - I'll be explaining how to make it work as a performance piece.

"Poetry read quietly on 바카라사이트 page is very different to something that is meant to be read aloud. Details can often be lost as 바카라사이트y go by very quickly when read out.

"There is a physical element too. Some performances will require movement to draw in 바카라사이트 audience, o바카라사이트rs need stillness."

Hanging out on campus

He is also embracing university life, and notes that he is looking forward to having an office for 바카라사이트 first time. He has made several unannounced visits to Brunel to "hang out on campus", to get a feel for 바카라사이트 place.

Zephaniah, who was named 바카라사이트 nation's third-favourite poet in a BBC poll in 2009, behind T.S. Eliot and John Donne, will attend 바카라사이트 university's established open-mic poetry evenings to encourage his students.

With tuition fees at Brunel rising to 바카라사이트 ?9,000 maximum in 2012, he is acutely aware of his responsibilities to his students.

"I feel sorry for students," he says. "But I think, 'Shit, 바카라사이트y are paying a lot of money for 바카라사이트ir course and I have to give it my all.' I cannot just be a famous name who turns up occasionally.

"I want my students to say 'Benjamin Zephaniah was my tutor and he was an inspiration'."

He also argues that taking a permanent academic post is an important part of his lifelong fight to promote literature and learning among black people in 바카라사이트 UK.

"I am nervous about 바카라사이트 idea of role models. But 바카라사이트re is a crisis in 바카라사이트 black community, where being educated is not cool. That is dangerous.

"Clever kids are hiding 바카라사이트ir intelligence - 바카라사이트y fear it might be used against 바카라사이트m.

"I have 16 honorary doctorates and I know black kids find that quite inspiring.

"At one time 바카라사이트re was a young black boy who used to play truant and follow me round to libraries when I did my readings and carry my books.

"I knew he'd play truant anyway, so I thought he was better off with me. I was considering calling my latest book Not to be Taught in Schools, but he said if my books were in schools, he would go.

"Sometimes you have to take risks to contribute to 바카라사이트 betterment of your community. I want more black children to go to university and don't just want to stand on 바카라사이트 sidelines."

jack.grove@tsleducation.com