News Oct 08

News from Inua Ellams. 05/10/08I love slightly palindromic sentences like, “At the start of the human problem, is the problem of the human heart.” or ones that need only slight changes. In summer I said something like: “What the hell happened, summer left in 2 weeks” and I can tweak it to: “What the hell happened? winter came in 2 days!” - I think I dwell on the weather too much as introductions to newsletters. For the next two months, I will think up spiffy comments on America's Presidential Election. Promise.

The formula: three news items and something good from YouTube: FREE GiG: NPG // THE LAST GENIE // BARBERSHOP CHRONICLES // ROAD RAGE.

FREE GiG: National Portrait Gallery// Sooo, the 1354 Collective's installation I curated in July and my Ltd. Edition book (view here - http://piurl.com/SPY, buy here - http://piurl.com/Oi2) were the first projects where I got to play with the visual and literal sides of me... this is the next one. On the 9th of October, on National Poetry Day, I will be exploring personal portraiture in a Painting Tour / Poetry Performance through the 16th - 19th Century Rooms at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Sounds nice doesn't it?

For an hour I will lead a group through the gallery, speak briefly about certain paintings, elaborate on themes, settings, history and read a poem that is linked. It is open to the public and it is FREE, but ticketed on a first come first serve basis, so after work or before dinner on Thursday, spend an hour with me for poetry and paintings.

Thurs 9th Oct. // 7pm // Free, 1st Come, 1st Serve. at: N.Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place  London WC2H OHE

BARBERSHOP CHRONICLES // The moment I first decided to get up and read a poem in public came after I saw late on Channel5 (2003) a poet called Mahogany Browne reading. Behind her, a woman danced nude, erotically, in a bathtub. I logged online faster than you can say something fast, found and frequented an event in St Martins Place (opposite the NPG) called Aromapoetry. 2 months later, I was given my first ever headline spot shared with... Mahogany Browne. 5 years have passed and we still be cool, she's doing many beautiful things in New York, hosts the biggest night at the legendary Nuyorican Poets café, and has just published a new anthology called 'The Barbershop Chronicles'.

I was published in this anthology with Jacob Sam La Rose and Nicholas Makoha, but I also designed the cover of the book, it is online and buyable, see - http://piurl.com/aLs for details.

THE LAST GENIE // Thief of Baghdad Last month, I mentioned the Thief of Baghdad project - East London Dance in partnership with the Royal Opera House. (Damn, I feel ostentatious, I'll refere to them as ELD and ROH, cool?) Last night, deep in the bowels of the ROH, I sat with K.G. the director, J.B. the music guru, and N.K. Choreographer debating the title of the piece. In poetry, trying to find a word that is loose enough to mean everything or specific enough to mean one thing, is what the burning-of-the-midnight-candle is about.

The title was whittled down to: The Feather Guardian, Feathers and Dust, Children of Dust, The Last Genie, and The Genie's last Disciple. Some were instantly ruled out, including my suggestion of - 'How Zabby got her groove back.' (brilliant right!? - the genie's name in the piece is Zebarack). Feathers and Dust was ruled out; though we liked its musicality, it conjured too much the house keeping implement. The Feather Guardian was taken out as well. I spoke against Children of Dust, felt it gave an idea that was too allegorical of death, it was hotly contested, but K.G. sealed the deal saying 'The Last Genie' was definite, snappy, more 'Christmasy' than the others and it sounded well with the main feature: The Last Genie & The Thief of Baghdad.

I am on schedule to deliver the libretto, my deadline is on the 20th of October, after which the fun begins, seeing it come to life. Show is on 18th, 19 and 21st of December. Tickets on sale soon, watch this space.

YOUTUBE: ROAD RAGE // Lately I have be journeying in cars. My lady drives and has revealed some darkness that further textures her personality - I like it. but even she would be cowered by this. Tonight's youtube offering shows the mastery of age, the knowledge of one's humble weapons against an ever impatient world and what happens when grannies go bad. Sit back, click, watch and guffaw with me. - -http://piurl.com/aLr

That's all folks. Stay cool, keep warm. Inua x

News Sep 08

News from Inua Ellams. 10/09/08So sorry! I apologise for the distance; I posted nothing nothing last month because I was taking a breather, a lot of you were on holiday and I had spammed you through July about 'The 14th Tale'... but I am back and in my absence, hope you remembered the formula... (with a slight amendment.)

The formula: three news items and something good from YouTube: THANKS // LIMITED PRINT // THIEF OF BAGHDAD // WOMEN ARE HEROES //

THANKS // The 14th Tale Thanks to all who made the 3 night run of the show at the BAC, seems so long ago now! The 1st night went stupendously well, the narrative, all the little jokes and characters, all received warmly. I was warned of the curse of the 2nd night but I laughed it off claiming to be exceptioned from the rule, but... yes it did not go as planned. I received positive feedback again, but for me, something was off. But on the last night my family came and the show went very well. For y'all who missed it, I am in talks and planning, next year, it will be finished and shown again. Stay tuned.

LIMITED EDiTION PRiNT // This has been a LONG time coming. I wanted to do 3 things with the 1st book. 1) Record some of its poems for a Limited Edition CD, 2) Illustrate the poems & exhibit (which I did in July) and the finally, 3) republish the book with the Illustrations. And here it is... in black and white, matt-finished, soft back print.

The New Book has 13 illustrations (12 new) that are so inspired by the poems that to be fully enjoyed, you gotta flick between as you read. I am doubly exited because I laid out and designed the book. For the first time, my words and images are together in a collection. But there is a twist...

We printed 313 copies. Nothing more. They have all been signed, dated and numbered by me and I hope in a decade or so, when poetry rules the world, snot nosed geeks and enthusiasts will bid-war for them on Amazon/Ebay... They each sell for £6.13p (the 13p is of prime importance, more so than the 6) and are available from - Flipped Eye, click here - http://piurl.com/Oi2 -

OR you can get them from me. Please, if nothing at all, stop to look at the book, here is a link to what it looks like, & the first few illustrations. - http://piurl.com/SPY - enjoy.

THIEF OF BAGHDAD // East London Dance in association with the Royal Opera House, once a year run a project called 'Street Stories' where they devise a show to be staged at the ROH in London, during the Christmas period. This December will see the retelling of The Thief of Baghdad by Opera Maestro Will Tuckett, and ELD have to produce something inspired by that piece. There's an impressive team of choreographers, composers and vocalists on the project, but to eek out, write and structure a story, they needed someone and yours truly is on the case. I have to teach poetry, guide and tease out text from the young cast, take it home and sculpt it, but essentially, I am writing a Libretto for the Royal Opera House. I am actually gonna write an 'Aria', ME, amazing. As I did with the SLAM project earlier in the year, I'll keep you posted as it develops and let you know about tickets for the show. x

YOUTUBE: WOMEN ARE HEROES // I am often asked the question, 'Where do you see yourself in the future?' and I answer detailing how I'd like to travel the world on behalf of the British Council / NGOs / UN / Charities / to interact with communities, teach poetry, learn from & experience as much as I can and report back having created illustrations & written poems/prose about my experiences to be published. I'd try to leave copies and exhibit the work I create in each place as a small token and legacy to its people.... But this video best shows what I mean, its is simple, powerful and beautiful. (I'd really like to travel with them). This month's Youtube offering moved my lady to tears, 'Women Are Heroes'. Sit back and watch -

Thanks.

News July 08

News from Inua Ellams. 07/07/08AHh, just when it seemed summer was underway, last Wednesday began with clear skies, temperature highs, moved to rain, then ACTUAL HAILSTONES... curiously, it mirrors work patterns, clear direction, things heat up, suddenly a downfall and madness. But enough of that shizz... down to bizz...

The formula, four news items and something good from YouTube: TALKING IN TONGUES / LONDON LIMING / FRESH OFF THE WALL / LYNK REACH (prt3) / STOP ME /

TALKING IN TONGUES // Show - 13th July. The London Literature Festival got underway last Friday at the Southbank and I am taking part in a couple of events. I have been talking non-stop about the scratch performance of my show, The 14th TALE, at the BAC on the 31 July / 1 & 2 of August. BUT the first time I perform it will see a 10 min segment on the 13th of July at 'TALKING IN TONGUES', an event this Sunday hosted by Sifundo Msebele, curator of Africa Beyond. At the Southbank, I shall stage-share with Ebele, Charlie Dark, and Bries who have also cooked up new pieces for the date. Come see. //

Date: 13th July, 6pm // Purcell Rooms, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre // Tickets £9 // http://tinyurl.com/4be7oww

LONDON LIMING // After my performance, at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Artist-In-Residence Lemn Sissay and Tilt present brilliance, 'London Liming', a show I will attend, featuring Ursula Rucker, Brian Patten, Shlomo, Patience Agbabi, Stacy Makishi and Louis Antwi, Curated by Melanie Abrahams. //

Date: 13th of July, 7.45pm // Queen Elizabeth Hall. Southbank Centre // Tickets £12 // Concessions 50% In The Front Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall, 5pm, you can catch Broadcaster Kevin Le Gendre talking to Ursula Rucker about her career and influences. This one is before my show and FREE.

FRESH OFF THE WALL // Something completely different... I am graphic designer / visual artist as well as a writer. Constantly, I strive to merge the disciplines. The first realisation of this is the Limited Edition reprint, just 313 copies of my collection featuring graphic interpretations of the poems. (More info to come) But the 2econd is the Visual Art Installation at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer. This is the first Visual Art Event I have curated! I invited 10 artists and colleagues to exhibit with me. Over the next two weeks, evolving from a blank canvas, the space will become a visual documentary of the Festival, an exciting mix of textiles, graffiti, photographs, video and performance as artists create the work in real time. The space is the Queen Elizabeth Hall's Foyer, free to enter and open till 10.30 / 11 most nights. Please stop by and check it out if you are in the centre over the next two weeks. Cheers.

LYNK REACH (prt3) // WE WON! I've been reporting on the SLAM 08 team of poet kids I have been coaching with Nick Makoha. Talked about seeing the students develop as their attitudes to friends, family and teachers changed, I've talked about the small victories, difficulties and emotionally charged writing sessions. I did not mention the students storming out, mothers threatening to pull kids out for arriving home too late or the star student suspended from school. The sessions were to culminate in a SLAM, where the kids from different schools go head to head an have their poems scored and judged. We were still changing the poem till the last minute! Moving lines in the changing rooms, the suspended student stepped back in and learnt both 3 minute poems in one week! Incredible! We were still working out how to end the poem as we were called on stage...

And we won. Simply. It all paid of, tears, sweat, determination, drama, all that good stuff. The Kids get to travel to Chicago in August to meet other poetry teams. Nick will be going with them. As a shadow, I do not get to travel, but they have promised to rock that city and remember poetry for as long as they live and honestly, this, the flashbacks of this process and what I have learnt, is reward enough.

Besides, I am working on a similar something starting in that month, for the Royal Opera House. :-) Stay tuned.

STOP ME // Earlier this year, I held a live recording of 6 poems from my first book. Unbelievably, the footage has gone missing, meaning I will have to do the show all over again. I worked hard to put the show together, so am seething with fury and thinking daggers into the heart of the camera man (sorry dude, but it hurts). So much so that I should have nothing but hatred and unrestrained jealousy for Joshua Idehen, fellow PIP, who, without breaking a sweat tripped and fell into a production company who made this film for him. But I cannot, because it is so well executed. This month's YOUTUBE offering is a poem called STOP ME. Sit back relax and enjoy.

cheers.

News June 08

News from Inua Ellams. 09/06/08Excerpt from new work: “I am from a long line of trouble makers, of ash skinned Africans born with clenched fists and a natural thirst for battle, only quenched by breast milk, they'd suckle as if the white silk sliding between gums, were liquid peace treaties, written from mums...” Yeah :)

The formula, four news items and something good from YouTube: THE 14th TALE / SOUNDBLAST / NORTH WALSHAM / M&C SAATCHI / ONETASTE /

THE 14TH TALE - PLease Pleas Please, keep the 31st of July, 1st or 2nd of August free. For the last few months, I have been working on a show, a one person narrative called 'THE 14th TALE' loosely inspired by the book. It is easily the most challenging and personal thing I have ever done. I will be speaking of this more over the coming weeks, but the scratch performances are on those three dates.

Date: 31 July, 1 & 2 August Time: 8pm Cost £5/£3 Venue: The BAC // Lavender Hill, Battersea, London, SW11 5TN Box Office : 02072232223 http://www.bac.org.uk.

SOUNDBLAST - There are two limited edition projects under way. This is the first. Couple of month ago I read at the launch of SOUNDBLAST, the poetry books society's project to sell recordings of poetry. I selected Six of the notorious Fairy Negro Tales, spent a while in a studio perfecting the poems, creating something worthy of purchase. I sent them to and they loved them, agreed to sell it. Now, the original idea was simply to make them on demand but I got to thinking, my fingers got to itching and I opted to hand make everything. Monetary wise, it is a bit more than I budgeted and I'll just about break even, but damn it, they look beautiful! The cases are hand made of soft, recycled foliage lined paper and the poems are on gloss black Cds. I am making only 50 of these, so get 'em while they last.

You can see how they are made here : http://tinyurl.com/3jeuhh You can reserve and collect from me at a show or something or... Purchase from Soundsblast, they'll post it : http://tinyurl.com/5rpg2p

If you don't get to purchase a physical copy, but still want the poems, fear not: available (via pay pal) from my myspace page and website.

NORTH WALSHAM - On 2nd of May, I was invited back to teach creative writing at a school in Norfolk, North Walsham as part of the week of internationalism and diversity. I devised a prose writing exercise where students would have to flick through a series of photographs specific to one of eight countries, eg Cambodia, China, Nigeria, note images, sounds and smells from the country and retell an incident, something that happened specific to the student, but place it in the chosen country... I taught the whole school except year eight students, as they were studying for exams, but the results were incredible. From break dancing on a barge made of flowers in a rice field, to a skateboarding in the Sahra. A girl named Rose O'Connor pushed the boat further and created her own world, beginning, “Once upon a time in Connorsville, on a quiet street called Rose...”

The most touching though was from a student who took the day she discovered she was pregnant, placed it in India's monsoon season and wrote to her future son of her tears stolen by the rain. I love what I do.

M&C SAATCHI - Sooo.... I am a member of the Daydream Crew, a collective that put out a graphic arts magazine. Last year, the collective took over the foyer of the M&S SAATCHI (infamous art collectors) offices in Golden Square near Carnaby Street, London. They brought a host of artists into the space who graffitied the walls creating Urban art in the mist unlikely of places. They were invited back to launch the 4th issue of their magazine and I went along to see the new works being created and graffitied onto the walls. I helped a couple of the artist until I was tasked to create something... I sat in a corner for a few minutes, penned a verse and stayed till the small hours of the morning, grafting the poem to the walls! The exhibition is open to the public 12pm - 8 pm, so if you are in the area, stop by, walk in, see and READ.

Address - M&C SAATCHI // 36 Golden Square London / W1F 9E

YOUTUBE: ONETASTE COLLECTIVE 12 June // Jazz cafe - Going from strength, this is about the Oneaste Collective. Members of the collective are scattered across the entertainment industry, in all categories, fields and levels. Last year the collective played the Jazz Cafe and this year we return with a tighter more inclusive show. We have been working hard to bring something truly brilliant to the stage and on the 12 of June, we take the Jazz Cafe by storm. To add fuel to the fire, that Night I will be flying from one event to another and should get on the venue when the show is to begin as a short verse of mine set to Samba drums opens the show. Also a bristling tour of summer festivals is underway and to get the vibe and news rolling, we created a short intro to the collective. Look out for yours truly....

underway and to get the vibe and news rolling, we created a short intro to the collective. Look out for yours truly....

More soon. Inua x

Mini News...

14th Tale Special - Scratch 1 Person Narrative Performance for The BAC. THE 14TH TALE - Hey folks, 'tis been bout three weeks since we spoke, but a hell of a month already. Every moment I get away from the computer, I spend it committing the 40 minute script of the 14th Tale to memory...

The script itself has been written, re written and thrown away exactly five time. The first narrative was to be based on the Thirteen Fairy Negro Tales and I created the character of a magical African story teller to deliver the story on stage. If this was a MARVEL film, the storyteller / narrator would be the HULK and I'd be the man who becomes the beast, Bruce Banner. But just as the American Military forces found, the beast is untameable and must be left alone.

Okay I exaggerate. I love the character and will definitely use him for future works, but I found no way to sustain an engaging, hour long narrative with his voice so though it hurt, desperately, I put him to the side and tried a different approach... to write about the man behind the beast, about Bruce Banner.... about myself.

For me, there has been nothing more difficult than this. I sat for long whiles staring at Virginia (my laptop), Virginia staring back with sympathy as I thought about my experiences, what could tie things together, searching for a beginning and end, moments poignant enough for poetry and for a story. By the 5th script, I considered throwing the towel in. My mentor swore at me saying 'you ain't throwing shit, get back to it...' so I faced the Virginia again thinking 'how did I get myself in this', and a seed was sown...

I thought about all the times that phrase had passed my lips 'how did I get myself in this?', about all the trouble I caused as boy. From the four year old who short-circuited the house with a silver spoon and a Betamax Video player, to throwing tantrums in Nigeria, halting an entire 700 student strong assembly, because I did not win an award and my twin sister did, to being chased through a jungle by a crazed French teacher called, I kid you not, Monsieur Bat Cock! I became obsessed with this, spent stupid hours laughing to myself till I began to take it seriously as a concept.

One evening, I sat with my father and asked him questions about myself growing up, and realised that he had been just as troublesome in his youth, and his father had been before him... I saw a pattern, saw a first line, scribbled it and the story begins thus:

“I'm from a long line of trouble makers, of ash skinned Africans, born with clenched fists and a natural thirst for battle, only quenched by breast milk. They’d suckle as if the white silk sliding between gums were liquid peace treaties written from mums. Their small thumbs would dimple the soft mounds of brown flesh, goose-pimple chests till the ceasefire of sleep would creep into eyes, they’d keep till the moon sets...”

At the BAC, I will be showing the first 35 - 40 minutes of the script. I hope it will be as entertaining for you as it has been for me to write. Please, Keep the 31st of July, 1st or 2nd of August free, come and check out where I'm from.

Date: 31 July, 1 & 2 August Time: 8pm Cost £5/£3 Venue: The BAC // Lavender Hill, Battersea, London, SW11 5TN Box Office : 02072232223 http://www.bac.org.uk

LONDON LITERATURE FEST P.s. I will be performing about 10 minutes of the story at the London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre. I will share a stage with Charlie Dark and Bries, legends of poetry. Date: 13th of July, 6pm, Purcell Rooms, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Talking Tongues

P.P.s Thanks so much for those who have bought the Limited Edition CDs. Out of the 50 handmade copies, 31 have been sold, 19 are left and they are going fast. To see how they are made, please go to http://tinyurl.com/3jeuhh. Thanks.

See you soon.

News May 08

News from Inua Ellams. 08/05/08 Cannot believe Boris won! I'll have to start watching my back now. With this, we enter the 5th Month of the Year... and the 5th use of the formula: four news items & something good from YouTube: MiD / PROSPECT / FREE WORD / LIVE REC / YOUTUBE:

MUSEUM in DOCKLANDS - On April 3rd, I was invited as a speaker to a seminar at the Museum in Docklands. The conference was called 'London Sugar & Slavery'. Essentially, it was a gathering of Museum curators, academics, managers and consultants speaking on their experiences last year, creating projects around the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade. My role as a speaker was to read poems around the theme. I read four poems over the day: 'Neverself', 'Clubbing', 'Dustbin Diaries' and 'For the Fighters and lovers'. As a writer, I never think to place myself or my work academically or historically. I just write. But it was interesting, intensely interesting, to realise how seamlessly they complimented the discussions. But this isn't about that. It's about The Museum in Docklands. It is a permanent exhibition of Britain's History, our history, of Slavery, and it is breath taking in detail, scope, form, challenge, humanity. Comprising of paintings, contemporary photography, illustrations, time-spliced projection / animation... I can't begin to describe the place. So just check it out: Museum in Docklands

PROSPECT - Prospect Magazine has a circulation of 27,000 or so and is one of the leading magazines on current affairs and cultural debate in the UK, alongside the New Statesman and The Spectator, with contributors from both the left & right wings. Contributors have included Nobel Literature laureate J.M.Coetzee, Margaret Atwood, Gordon Brown and more... But one evening A Poem in Between People, my poetry collective (with Johsua Idehen, Musa Okwonga and Catherine Martindale) met Prospect's assistant editor, Tom Chatfield, for a round the table discussion on poetry, spoken word. It took a couple of beers to loosen lips, but the article is cool, if you have the time, please read: Prospect

FREE WORD - On the 12th & 13th of April, London's Southbank housed the FREE THE WORD festival. (Yes, I know the title is lame). Over the two days, a horde of poets and I created and executed a Word Walk / Literature Tour / Festival Hike type thing, where parts of the Southbank were sectioned off with masking tape into performance areas, and in them, poems were performed to those who followed the trail. It was an experience. The term 'Teen Spirit' came alive in the form of secondary school kids - performers on the tour - chasing down passer-bys to listen to poetry, yelling FREE THE WORD!! Now, I did what I could, but the old man in me shook his head and sighed in nostalgia at the idea that I once had so much faith and energy... The tour, put together by Eastside Educational Trust, was a bristling success. The freerunners, skate boarders, graffiti artist & BMXers did not what hit 'em! As part of the warm up before performing, we were taught an ancient urban hymn I shall now pass on to you and those I teach poetry. It goes...

Black socks they never get dirty The longer you wear them the stronger they get Sometimes I think I should wash them Then a small voice tells me don't do it yet Not yet, Not yet, Not yet, Not YET!

THE LIVE RECORDING - Of Six poems from the Fairy Negro Tales, was a fun, laid back night, a perfect valediction to the poems. A warm and attentive audience of friends, writers, acquaintances and strangers came to the show at the Miller. We ran a little late to begin, but I was relaxed on stage, the poems were read, recorded and filmed. The audience stayed around chatting and getting to know each other, well into the night. Special shout outs go to Rory Broadfoot (I know right! that surname conjures the 'what do they say about men with big feet' joke) the cameraman, to John Hendicott - sound and music guru: both guys brought down thousands of pounds worth of equipment to capture the show, finally to Bailey for being herself. The next step is for the recording to be edited, chopped up and YouTubed. Stay tuned.

YOUTUBE: RYAN Vs DORKMAN - I am a geek. I say this in complete and utter pride. Through my formative years I looked like Steve Urkel (google him), loved and still love Star Trek (was once put on detention of studying The Starship Voyager's blueprints instead of working - there are no toilets on that ship!), I know HTML in-jokes, I even have an anecdote about being a black Milky Bar Kid, growing up in Nigeria titled 'The Way of the Nerd”. Bullies around the world spend decades tormenting the likes of us. From schooling in Nigeria to schooling Dublin and London, the bully / geek dynamic remained constant. But eventually we supersede our muscle bound nemesis and steal the lime light. A great example is the following clip where nerds, my people, show their brilliance, in the execution, action sequence and use of CGI. George Lucas, eat your heart out; this is bloody brilliant:

---

Ron

So.. bout two months ago, I spoke about writing an article for Tresspass magazine. The issue called 'What is Black' came out. And perhaps it was meant to be ironic or someone up there is taking the most visceral of pisses, but about 90 percent of the magazine and pieces written by the darker hued writers were illustrated with...chocolate!

Once again, I am thankful that I am multi skilled, I chose to illustrate and lay out my piece. This is what I wrote: ------------

Ron.

I arrive early for a poetry event in Camden. Not much is going on save the rumour of music rising tiredly from instruments as musicians flex and test sound levels. I greet the guys, hi-five Ash the organiser, tell him I'll be back in five, want to pick up a penguin (I’m peckish), and sprint along the Camden high street, past McDonalds and into a Subway. Two pounds later, I munch a sandwich of grilled chicken, cheese, lettuce and jalapenos, finish in five minutes flat, bin the wrapping and consider returning to the venue, but the glare of a McDonalds calls to me. I step in, not to eat, but to make use of tables and chair in the well-lit area, to write something until the show begins.

I sit and sink into 'the zone'. Scratch that, try to find the bloody thing. A man walking towards me from the cash register, cradling a cup, hails me with a bristling 'You look like a fine gentleman, can I sit with you?' I am so jolted by the unusually formal greeting, I stammer...'of, of, course, yeah...' He sits down opposite, and in an instant, I am staring into the most brilliant blue eyes I have ever seen. Starting from the rim the iris is an azure/cobalt blue, which seems to fade to a light grey, then a semi-turquoise, with streaks of sky arrowing into the black holes of pupils, the florescent lights lie on them like flat diamonds. His face does not match his eyes. Nothing shines it. His pale white skin is dirty, partly unshaven and an unruly hay field of graying hair aggravates its way out of his skull, falls down the sides forming a loose frame.

He introduces himself as Ron. And asks where I am from.

I usually answer with 'Nunhead', and follow the baffled look with a 'it is a small place in South London, fringing Peckham'. Then I get the - 'No, where are you From FROM' question. A lot of my friends (if not all) who are of darker hues and are British will get pissed at this point, but I never do, as I am not British. I answer 'Ahh, I am Nigerian'. But Ron ignores this and just scowls after Nunhead, tells me he doesn't like crossing the river. I ask why. He stops moving for about four seconds, actually stops moving, sits completely still, stares into the distance, he is frozen. Then motion returns, he cheshire-cat smiles at me and says ' That's a dubious question!' He has a voice that crackles like fried gravel, it crunches out of him, much like his hair. I can just about understand what he says, and try to keep the conversation going. He is clearly in some stage of homelessness, his hands, filthy, are in stark contrast to the clean white table.

Why is it dubious? I ask, It is though, sure it is. Don't like Hackney, I lived there you know, Diane Abbot was the MP, saw her all the time back then. She's a black beautiful woman, little dolly bird. She has more bottle than you.

Okay. Where did that come from?

Diane Abbot? I ask, Did you know her?

He freezes at my question and stares into the distance again, stills again, moves after four moments and replies with a satisfied, 'That's a dubious question'...

At this point, I think he isn't... all here, perhaps a touch of dementia or something. The stares-into-distances are intelligent, as if looking at data on a computer screen, trying to process it, but the information is lost in translation.

He keeps talking about Diane Abbot, says that she was a fine woman back then, still lovely, she is not prejudiced, that he loves her, and she loves him, really. I ask how he knows this as he attempts a sip from his cup. He splutters uncomfortably at the liquid, slams the cup on the clean table, and says 'I can't drink that', opens the lid and it is a pint of tar-black coffee, steam chimneying out. I belly laugh in surprise and advise him to let it cool a bit. He winks, 'you have a point there',

then returns again to Abbot, - she has a son you know? Probably thirty years old, something like that. I ask him how he knows, 'Are you the father?' he does the unblinking distance thing again and 'dubious' answers me, clasping his hands. Then he asks about my religion. I ask about his, he replies 'Church of England', pauses for a second then finishes with 'or Jewish'.

when are you Christian or Jewish? depends on who buys the food.

And I laugh again, at the frankness, at the childish honesty. I imagine he's got nothing to lose in talking with me, as I have with him. A car's horn blasts outside, I look up to notice Ron and I are attracting attention from others in the room. Before I decide on what to do, Ron leans forward, whispers, 'can I ask you a question'? I am lean forward too, and reply,

sure, go for it. why do black people have a chip on the shoulder?

Again, I am jolted. Why would this question even be on HIS mind and why is it important enough to ask? I consider trying to cram a brief history lesson, anthropological theory, economic and geographic breakdown of the UK in a sentence, give up and pass the question back, 'why do you think Ron?' and he answers:

because they were treated badly in the past.

and I like him for it. Not because he has said anything in any way profound, but because in his little madness, he thought this through and came up with an answer with some shred of truth, of recognition in it. I ignore the others, carry on speaking with him. He asks me if I knew he was once an officer, I say no, and he is incredibly surprised at this! Says he left the army in the eighties, that the bravest soldiers he fought with were all...

'gays, all of them, they committed suicide though, couple of them drove off a cliff in a motorbike'

The conversations chugs on, his gravel voice steaming with sips from his pint of coffee. It goes to Sammy Davis Junior, 'greatest singer ever' Ron says, 'he'd go on stage with the rat pack and steal the show, but have to go back door to get a cup of tea' to Mike Tyson, 'greatest fighter ever, I would like to meet him, he'd probably buy me a cup of tea, I'd shake his hands, but he won't want to get in a ring with me. Why? cause I fight dirty'. All the while, I am scribbling furiously. His stream of sentences are punctuated with the mention of Diane Abbot, his 'dolly bird' having more bottle than anyone, and his blank stares into nothing.

When the conversation lulls naturally, I glance at my watch and realise we've been talking for twenty minutes, I tell Ron I have to leave and stand up as he thanks me for talking to him. He reaches out his now coffee-wet dirty hand - as dark as the inside of my palms, lets it falter in mid air, not sure if I will accept. Do I take it?

Course I do. Grasp it warmly, glance into those Atlantis eyes and sprint down Camden High Street with two things on my mind. One, the fastest route to a bathroom, I need to wash my hands. Two, Ron. I can't fathom what series of events shaped him, a homeless veteran. What does he see in the distance, what war was he involved in, what dreams of Diane Abbot have come from living on Camden's streets. And to be honest, I would not have cared, but the old boy charm, mixed with the shoulder chip thing endeared him to me. As I take the stage, I silently dedicate the performance to Ron, and regret not running back to ask him what he thought was black.

Inua x

News April 08

News from Inua Ellams 07/04/08 ...and thus we march into April, like to pause to nod to my new mailing subscribers, cut the chitty chit chat, recap the formula; {four news items and something good from YouTube} Off we go: BORIS JOHNSON / LYNK REACH (prt2) / LIVE RECORDING / GIGS / SKATE BOARD

BORIS JOHNSON (for the Londoners) This is the last time I mention last month's Time Out Article. My most ineloquent moment was when asked about Boris Johnson's campaign mayor, I replied... “eurgh”. At the time of said interview I lacked facts on the man and his policies. I know more now & wouldn't change 'eurgh' for the world; it sums up my visceral reaction. I admit, Ken Livingstone's had his problems, policies have side-effected, regular media clashes, he is imperfect. Both men promise pretty much the same things, so the election becomes that of the lesser of two evils. Now Boris is a man who in an article for The Telegraph called the people of Congo “piccaninnies” saying about the Queen's visit; “...the tribal warriors will all break out in watermelon smiles” since then he apologised, patronisingly, “I do feel very sad that people have been so offended by these words...” Note*, not for what he said, but that it UPSET people... incredible. London is the most culturally diverse, most vibrant city in the world, I haven't impudence enough to suggest which evil to vote for on May 1st for but... Boris?

LYNK REACH (prt2) Recap: In Feb's mail out I mentioned Lynk Reach's project, a six-school poetry slam, where the highest scoring poetry team go to Chicago for a week. I have been teaching with Nick Makoha. Two weeks ago, we whittled the team from the original 17 or so, to 9 kids. Have to say, it was the most emotionally charged day of my year so far. Over the past weeks, we have tried to teach more than poetry, we deal with behaviour management, attitudes to work, to family, school, how they influence self expression, relationships... We've had other teachers in the school stop and ask what we do, why the students have come to apologise suddenly for of past bad conduct... I found out recently that 70% of the class are fatherless, so the relationship dynamic is... interesting and at times, fragile. One such kid (who is on the verge of permanent exclusion) pulled out the most touching performance that Wednesday, a narrative poem on burglary, being arrested and sent to youth detention.

The 1st phaze ended with 'Community Building Day' on the 29th or March, where all six schools gathered to write, read, see other poets / poet coaches and to get a feel for what the Slam final will be like. The second phaze is where I feel the Real work begins, the moulding, the find tuning of poems and the priming of performance. Stay Tuned.

LIVE RECORDING** I am trying to exhaust my first collection, Thirteen Fairy Negro Tales (available £4 from Amazon). It has been graphically interpreted, set to music, animated, being staged for theatre, Six of the poems have been studio recorded for sale (more about all those in the coming months) but I want to have a live audio and video recording of the performance of those six poems, So I am really exited about this show:

Date: 29th April // At: The Miller, 96 Snowsfields, London Bridge, London SE1 3SS Doors: 7pm // Show: 8pm // End: 9pm // Cost: £3.13p - please, bring exact change!

The Deejay will be spin, I'll record three poems, Deejay will spin again, three more poems, the end. Should take no more than one hour. The venue only seats 60 people, so I'd advise arrive early. I made a flyer for the show:

GIGS: Again, a few coming up, so listing the first five:

9TH APRIL - Lazy Gramaphone £5 // 20.00 - The Macbeth, 70 Hoxton Street, LDN N1 6LP

10th APRIL - Shortfuse - £5 // 20.30 - Camden Head, Camden walk, Islington, LDN N1

15th APRIL - NewBlood - £5/£3 // 19.30 - The Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton Street, LDN WC2H 9BX

17th APRIL - Behind The Mic - £6/£4 // 20.00 - The Cavendish Arms, 128 Hartington Road, LDN SW8 2HJ

21st APRIL - Sticks & Stones - £3 // 20.00 - Strawberry Fields Bar, 159 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 3ED

YOUTUBE: SKATE BOARD Four yrs old, I taught myself to ride a bike. That summer in Nigeria, I borrowed my neighbours mustard yellow / navy blue BMX and circled my house for days till I made it round without falling or stopping, I remember staggering into the kitchen, torn shorts, torn skin, sand streaks, with the purest, smile on my face. My dad managed to control his pride, asked me to clean up for lunch. Two years pass and the craze was skateboards, by then I had discovered the magic of a pencil and paintbrush. After two failed attempts at mastering the board, abandoned it and concentrated on becoming exceptional with my fingers...

So, when I saw this on the tube, I marvelled at what I may have become. The story, the way this is shot, the slow-mos, the settings and tricks... spectacular. Sit back and watch.

---

Something to Love

Four days ago, last year, 11th of March, my father had a stroke. The next few months were... hard. I learnt of how unstoppable my mother is, how much I have in common with my father and the responsibility that comes with being the only son. There were bouts of staying up lates, crying, staring into nothing, re-discovering how fickle all this is. My father is back on his feet and has been so for a while, has been back to work and the grind of London, the pace of work means we forget about those days. Last night, we (the family) went to a Church to thank God for my father's life, a year after the incident. When the blood vessel burst, it stopped on its own and did not flood the rest of his brain. The doctors do not know why this happened, my father thanks God. In all honesty, faith has dwindled, I sit comfortably on the 'want to believe but .....' line. Tried to define myself through my work, to believe through it, but it should be the other way round, the belief should fuel my work. Half way through the prayer, I glance up, and all the heads are bowed, the bright lights bathe everything, like faith, sinks into the heads of the balding men, glows like a dim-beneath skin halo, and the preacher is in tears...

His voice cracks as he thanks God for the lives of men. And always, when I am presented with incredible moments like this where the belief in something undefinable, abstract, necessary and unnecessary moves one to tears, I wish I could swap places, I envy the conviction. I wish for tears.

After this, the preacher gives a long weird babbling sermon, all I take from it is a theory I will try to explore in the future, that happiness needs three things: Something to do, something to love and something to hope for. I think I have two of the three covered, maybe just one, but I was wondering just how many of us have all?

Lemme know:

something to do something to love something to hope for

Inua x

News Mrch 08

'Sup homies, hope your Feb went well, mine was a month of Mondays man, another hectic one, from recording an E.P. in three hours! to catch a deadline, to covering Bjork, gate crashing parties, stages, workshops, acceptances, rejections, I grumble, but deep down, would not have it any other way. The beautiful Struggle.So.. the formula, four news items, and YouTube link.

TRESPASS / TAWIAH / PUMA / GIGS / MAC

TRESPASS: I attract freaks. This is as factual as the statement 'water is wet'. It is necessarily true. I'm trap myself in conversation with some pretty... kaleidoscopic people. I always find something in common (which says a thing about me), forget the strangeness, chat as if we go way back and reflect on the bus. So far I have documented three such incidents. The first is as a poem in my first collection 'Dustbin Diaries' currently playing on myspace page. Second, I turned to a short story, recently moulded into a ballad (poetic form) called 'The Ballad of Abdul Hafiz', the third, took place in Camden before the Remedy/Bjork show. It involved a war veteran called 'Ron', the M.P. Diane Abbot, and a pint, I tell you, a PINT! of hot coffee. I can't give away the gist because the entire incident will be published in the next Issue of Tresspass Magazine, available from 1st April. Where to buy? check out: Trespassmagazine.co.uk p.s. if you went in search of my Time Out article / interview, it was put back, but I've been assured it is coming out this week.

TAWIAH: As well as word work, I am a graphic artist, design for the poetry community, music industry, illustration and commissioned portraiture, installations here and there. One of my recent clients is also a good friend, singer by the name of Tawiah. She is quite incredible. Has toured the world with Mark Ronson - who is everywhere at the moment, she holds it up for West Africa and is one of the most charismatic live performers I have seen. Her E.P. called 'In Jodi's Bedroom' just came out, the lead song is called 'Every Step'. The song begins simple, with a driving rhythm, then her voice drops like smoke, builds, layer by layer till it becomes an epic wall of psychedelia, drums, and all that good stuff then suddenly cliffs off, and ends with the starting simplicity. But listen for yourself, 30 sec samples on itunes. The E.P. is available from HMV, Virgin, iTUNES etc and I designed the cover.

PUMA: Following on from the news above, Tawiah is sponsored by PUMA, and the good folks there got all hot and bothered when they saw the cover I created, and reproduced it on t-shirts! Basically, PUMA made limited edition runs of my design. I ran down to her management offices and secured some of them -

// Womens - White - size 10 x 2 / size 12 x 1 } // Mens - Red - size XL x 1 / L x 2 } // Mens - white - size M x 3 }

This is what they look like: ttshirt And I am giving them away to you guys, FREE! (I'm that nice). All you gotta do is mail back detailing which you want and come get it at my next show. Simple. First come first serve.

GIGS: Quite A few this month, So I will just list the next five: March 5th - WORD // 8pm - Bambu, 21 Welford Road, Leicester, LE2 7AD // March 7th - PERFORMANCE + Q&A // 7 pm - Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6JA // March 10th - NIGHT VISION // 7:30pm - Media Center, Northumberland Street, Huddersfield // March 11th - LDN WORD FEST // 8 pm - Cargo, 83 Rivington St, London, EC2A 3AY // March 15th - RADIO SHOW // 6.30 Life FM - 103.6 or from www.lifefm.org.uk // More events on myspace.com/phaze05 and the tour page of this website.

YOUTUBE: UNIQLO I am an Apple Mac head, I cherish these things, I mean, I look at PCs in contempt. I have a lil 12 inch powerbook I call 'Virginia' and in Motown - Mrs Jones style, 'we got a thiiinng, going on'. We have a healthy symbiotic relationship. This year Apple released the Mac Book Air and it is a stunning machine, I lust after that thing. So much so that I refuse to watch its adverts online on Virginia, because she'll get jealous and I'll have spend nights convincing her that she is the only one for me. The Mac Air is equivalent to a 'younger blonde woman' with a ridiculously thin waist, and big.... hard drives. It seems like others share some resentment towards the new Mac and made parodies of it's iconic - fits-in-an-envelope advert. This months YouTube offering comprises of four clips each under 90 seconds, beginning with the original ad, they are hilarious.

1) - original.

2)

3)

4)

Yeah!

A week on Holiday

Title is not what it seems... So I am hanging out in Dulwich, ACTUALLY hanging out on Dulwich. Don't get me wrong, I love south london, love the people, the vibrancy, but I never ever hang out here. Most of my chill out times are spent across the river in houses or backstage things. Anyway, hanging out with C Bailey (you don't know who she is), and we are complaining about the week disappearing, 'where did the week go?'

then Bailey asks, 'where will you go if you were a week?' brilliant concept right? so I say... 'probably go to New Zealand, hang out there for a while, just stay low, you know'

but Bailey meant IN TIME... so I say, prolly go to the prehistoric, nestle in with the boys in April, see what the dinosaurs were like... but it gets more interesting, say if you were that week and you traveled back with everything that happens in you, and they still happen, how would it play out?

e.g. if I was the week when Bush won the election, and I traveled back in time, would I let a T-Rex bite his head off? what would be the repercussions? and what would be the voice of the week? would it be an old man's? a kid, a teenager? what accent?

now imagine writing a monologue as a week, talking about what happens in you, in time, then time traveling...

hmmmn, my pen itches...

just need the time now!

News Feb 08

What the hell happened to January, month went faster than Greased Lightening on Speed. Anyway, down to business, thanks to those who wrote back with comments from the first mail out, really appreciate the words of encouragement. Remember the formula? Four News Items and one Youtube. TIME OUT / LYNK REACH / ONETASTE / SHOWS / UNIQLO

TIME OUT: 30 years ago, Legendary Poet, Linton Kwesi Johnson's record - Dread Beat an' Blood was released to critical acclaim, an album of political poetry buttressed by the powerful beats of reggae. To commemorate the anniversary, there is to be an event at the Barbican on 9th of March, featuring Jean Binta Breeze and Dennis Bovel. At about the same time, Penned in the Margin's London Word Festival, (20th of Feb to 14 March) will be in full swing, where yours truly and a host of other word warriors such as Saul Williams and Anthony Joseph, will be performing. For the next few months, there will be verses in the air...

Yesterday Morning (04/02) I sped into Brixton to meet Linton and interviewer: Tamara Gausi, for a discussion on the coming month, London and a touch of Politics. Later that night, the questions were posed to Saul and the article up will be featured in Time Out Magazine on the 18th February's Issue. Look out for it. During the photo shoot, I was wearing my favourite scarf. (Thanks Kim)

LYNK REACH: Lynk Reach is a charity dedicated to providing opportunities for young people, they run the London Teenage Poetry SLAM. Created by Jacob Sam-La Rose, it is a performance poetry competition across six secondary schools, where poets are stationed to generate work in schools, culminating in a dazzling final at Stratford Theatre, riddled with tears of joy, pain and all that life stuff... It is truly a magnificent thing to behold. Last Year, I worked with poet: Charlie Dark at Kidbrooke Secondary in South London, and met the most amazing kids. A bristling Jamaican girl told an amazing story of arriving in London alone, identifying a father she had never known from birth, only by the song he sang, in an airport. One kid, asked to describe a noise played to him wrote: 'It is the after sound of a bee's heart humming'... just casually pulled it out of nowhere... nuts.

This year's Slam is about to commence and I will be stationed in The Lammas Secondary School in Leyton, with Poet Coach - Nick Makoha. I will keep you posted as it goes...

ONETASTE: Aaaaaaaaaand Were BACK! I imagine you've heard of the Collective. Last Year, an article published in the London Paper on Live Lit talked about the top ten shows, and the three that I co-organise / Graphic Guru / and occasionally read at, all made the list, NewBlood at the poetry café (20th of Feb, come) was 6th, Poejazzi (PiP, PiP!) was 2nd, ONETASTE was 1st! Last year was incredible for us, over 100 shows, scattered across the UK, a tour of the summer festival circuit, front pages, releases, our own festival, a sell-out jazz café event, and we began this year in style. Again, the 250 sitter sold-out-event on Sunday gone in Balham, saw the word works of: Roger Robinson - reading dazzling short stories, Excentral Tempest the lady rapping like a beautiful battering ram, singers, the naturally, talented MADness of Mark Hole, new to Onetaste - John Kenzie, and our very own, Jamie Woon (nuff siad). for a taste, check out: http://www.Onetaste.co.uk

SHOWS: FLOETICS / REMEDY My first reading/performance of '08 was at the PlayBar in Oldstreet on the 27th of Jan, a laid back affair, really nice way to start the year. Feb begins with two babies in quick succession. First is in Brighton on Wednesday at 'FLOETICS' on 6/02/08 - 8pm // Venue: Redroaster Coffee House - St James Street, Brighton // Wallet Damage - £2.50 and the second is on Thursday, in London at 'REMEDY' 7/02/08 - 8 pm // Venue: Oh! Bar, 111-113 Camden High Street, London, East NW1 JN// Free before 9, £5 after//

At the 'OH! BAR' I will be working with a Live band. A poem of mine 'Candy Coated Unicorns and Comverse All Stars' has been adapted to a jazz version of Bjork's 'Come to Me', and 'Older', written for a beautiful acoustic guitar arrangement, will be revisited. Have to say I am terribly exited about both shows, especially the live Bjorkage. To listen to both poems before the show, stop by: http://www.myspace.com/phaze05

YOUTUBE: UNIQLO I am by no means the best dressed male poet. The titled is passed back and forth between a certain Tim Wells who moonlights as a stockbroker and David J, whose style is only outdone by his verbal gymnastics. However I do get a fair few nods and words of encouragement complimenting, my choice of colour, attire etc. I have three sisters, (I learnt the heard way). But today I reveal to you my formulas, 1) I stick to five colours, mix and match, 2) H&M and Uniqlo. I am found somewhere between these fine establishments.

I am affiliated with a dance collective called Avant Garde. They don't let me dance (!*?&ards, kidding! u kno I luv u) instead only want me for my word and graphic skillz. I have spent time watching incredible dancers, summersaults, holds, tenses and well toned bodies doing things mine can't, so I know a little about street dance and its cross over with ballet.

Putting these topics together, you'll understand why I wasn't half exited when I watched this clip. This month's youtube offering is an add campaign from Uniqlo. Sit back and Jaw drop.

Keep warm, Stay Cool... Inua x