Tasks: The Death of Joy Gardner by Benjamin Zephaniah

A poem should never be read only once. Read through the poem a few times before you discuss the following questions in groups or in class:

First stanza:

• Zephaniah introduces the words 'leather belt', '13 feet of tape' and 'handcuffs' in the beginning of the poem. What do you associate with these items? And what does it do to the mood of the poem?
• What do you think Zephaniah means by the phrase "Nobody killed her, and she never killed herself"? Who are responsible for her death?
• He refers to himself in the phrase "… who deports people like me". Why does he do that? Find out who Benjamin Zephaniah is.

Second stanza:

• "An officer unplugged the phone, Mother and child were now alone". Comment on the double meaning of this phrase.
• In the rest of the stanza, Zephaniah comments on the law, human rights, and race relations, and he states that "I know this is not a simple case, Of Yardies on the move". Does he defend Joy Gardner (who was an illegal immigrant)? Did the punishment match the crime? Elaborate on his reflections around this tragic incident.

Third stanza:

• In this stanza, Zephaniah points out that there is an official version of what happened to Joy Gardner ("Let it go down in history, The word is that officially ..."), and he also points to historical actions of Britain in the Caribbean. How would you describe his tone? Is he sincere, sarcastic, sad ...?

• After the death of Joy Gardner no one was held responsible for what had happened. In the last part of the stanza, Zephaniah offers a warning of what might happen next if we let these things take place. What kind of warning is it?

Fourth stanza:

• In the final stanza Zephaniah discusses the aftermath of her death, describing the public’s reactions and the result of the trial. What does he observe? How do people react? What is the mood of the last stanza? Elaborate on his reflections and observations.
• Two years after the incident, three police officers stood trial accused of Gardner's manslaughter. What was the result of this trial? And in light of this result, how do you interpret the last four lines of the poem?

Find examples of other incidents where the police have used excessive force resulting in the death of another person. Where did it take place, and under which circumstances? How do incidents like these affect the relationship between different groups in society?

The Windrush scandal

In 2018, the British government faced a scandal of huge proportions as hundreds of Caribbean immigrants who had lived and worked in the UK for decades were being barred from working, refused access to government services and welfare benefits, and even deported back to their Caribbean native countries. This was known as the 'Windrush scandal'.

Start by watching the video below. Then look for more information on the internet using search queries like ‘Windrush generation’, ‘Windrush scandal’, and ‘hostile environment policies’.

Write down answers to the following questions:

1. What was the purpose of the so-called ‘hostile environment policies’, and what consequences did they have?
2. Who was the Windrush generation?
3. How did the hostile environment policies affect the Windrush generation?
4. What happened in the aftermath of the scandal?

Write:

1. Imagine that you were among the Windrush generation who emigrated from the Caribbean to Britain in 1948. Write a text where you describe the life you had in Jamaica before you left for Britain and what it was like to arrive in your new country. Choose an appropriate genre.

2. Use the information you have found about the Windrush scandal. Write a letter to the editor where you express your feelings about the scandal and give advice to the government as to how they should rectify the situation.

   In 'Related Content' below, you can find information about how to write a letter to the editor.