Benjamin Zephaniah is a twin (he has a sister). He was born in Birmingham but spent much of his childhood in Jamaica. He can't remember a time when he wasn't creating poetry. He never enjoyed school - partly because nobody at the time recognised that he is dyslexic.

Benjamin writes poems which are funny but which have a serious message as well. He is a passionate vegan and many of his poems are about animal rights. He is also concerned about racial and social issues, and is a pacifist.

Audiences so loved Benjamin's performances that his poems began to be published in anthologies. Collections such as Funky Chickens and Talking Turkeys broke through cultural, social and racial barriers and established Benjamin as one of the foremost poets of his day.

More recently, Benjamin has begun to write novels that explore new subjects in simple and refreshingly different ways.

He now does a lot of work with charities, including the Hackney Empire Theatre and the Umoja Housing Co-operative. He is often on tour and broadcasts frequently on radio and TV.