Today on our poetry news round up, we look at Benjamin Zephaniah Day, the poet laureate’s freedom of the city of London and evidence that the Bard did not abandon his wife.
Benjamin Zephaniah Day Celebrated
The inaugural Benjamin Zephaniah Day was celebrated earlier this month on the campus at Brunel University of London. The activist and celebrated poet worked there for a number of years until his death in 2023 at the age of 65.
The event took place close to what would have been Zephaniah’s 67th birthday and was a family-friendly event filled with music and poetry. It was billed under the title
and was hosted by the poet’s wife in collaboration with the university.
The proceedings were opened by Qian Zephaniah, the poet’s widow who marked the occasion by wearing one of the poets’old suits and a hat. Standing in the newly named Benjamin Zephaniah Square she said,
she followed this by saying that the event would showcase everything that was important to her late husband.
The poets Linton Kwesi Johnson and Michael Rosen both took to the stage to recite from Zephaniah’s works. There was also a new song sung in tribute to the poet written by the band Steel Pulse. The song talked about the poet’s upbringing in Birmingham and how love and peace were his intentions.
Throughout the event there were poetry workshops and creative writing masterclasses led by a number of leading poets. There was also plenty of music, vegan street food and even outdoor games.
The legacy that Benjamin Zephaniah has left not only at Brunel but everywhere will continue through the posthumous publication of 
Poet Laureate Given City of London Freedom
The poet Simon Armitage has received the freedom of the City of London, an event which he said he was excited about, despite being a northerner born and bred. The ceremony took place at the Barbican Centre’s Conservatory – the first time at this location. The tradition surrounding the freedom of the city is thought to date back to 1237.
The freedom was awarded to Armitage for his
Born and raised in Yorkshire, the poet has only recently taken to spending more time in London as part of his role as the poet laureate and he said that the freedom felt like an invitation to explore even more of what London has to offer.
Shakespeare Didn’t Abandon his Wife
For over 200 years it was believed that William Shakespeare “abandoned” his wife when he travelled to London, leaving her with almost nothing.
However, recent examination of a part of a letter addressed to her suggests they lived together in London from 1600 – 1610. The letter had been preserved in the binding of a book, and whilst it was first discovered in 1978 has only recently been investigated properly.
You must register to comment. Log in or Register.