When: 22nd September 2011 at 7.30pm
Where: The Drum, 144 Potters Lane, Aston, Birmingham B6 4UU
£: 5 (3)
What is it?
Celebrate Wha? is an anthology of poems edited by Eric Doumerc and Roy McFarlane (Birmingham Poet Laureate 2011). It is about identity and race, curried goat ‘n’ rice. Ten poets – DreadlockAlien, Sue Brown, Marcia Calame, Evoke, Martin Glynn, Michelle Hubbard, Kokumo, Roy McFarlane, Chester Morrison and Moqapi Selassie – explore what it means to be Black and British and from the West Midlands. This is the English language in a Caribbean coat, Auden in a Creole accent. Celebrate Wha? celebrates writing with a reggae rhythm, born out of a heady mixture of dub, grime and performance poetry, politics and music, anger and laughter. Join them for the official launch of an anthology dedicated to Birmingham’s Black poets – long overdue.
Moqapi’s Celebrate Wha and Kokumo’s Check-Out Mista Govament Man are examples of the dub poetry found in this collection politically infused in language and message. These poems challenge the idea of celebrating freedom and governments living in a fantasy far removed from a third world reality. Sue Brown takes us on a journey around Birmingham which is truly multi-cultural. Michelle Hubbard’s Twelfth CD-Track Nine is Auden on the streets of Nottingham (or any other urban city). Marcia Calame Speak English is a culinary delight fully spiced with callaloo and saltfish. Martin Glynn takes us on an introspective journey with To Whom It May Concern and I Found My Father’s Love Letters by Roy Mcfarlane explores the journey of absent fathers. Chester Morrison challenges the notion that a good black man can’t be found in his humorous Some Black Men. DreadlockAlien reminds us that I Am Whatever Colour You See, a lyrical word marathon on identity followed with We by Evoke, who is the youngest writer in the book, and contributes a poem that is profound in light of the disturbances across the UK in August 2011.
More info: Visit www.the-drum.org.uk to book or call 0121 333 2444. Like The Drum on Facebook or follow on Twitter.