BlurbThis is my little black book of rage and pain towards my African roots and white society. I’m not on anyone’s side, as an African born, Black British immigrant, I think everyone is equally problematic.

As such, I had some race-related things to get off my chest, so I put them into poetry again. Here are 28 poems on my ‘melanated madness’, about how I continue to love myself as a person from a self-hating culture (African), that grew up in a racist society (British).

Excerpt poem, 'Stop playing with me 'fore I turn you into a poem' (page 44):Family, society,The evil deep inside of me. On death, and life, and fantasy,I write it all to find some peace.

Loving you, my soul to keep,Drugs, and dreams, and nothing cheap. The thoughts that make it hard to sleep,The blood I bleed, the ghosts I see.

The waters, skies, plants, and trees,Kids, beasts, my favourite beings. Teasing you and sexy things,All your wants I turn to needs.

A silenced voice that rarely speaks,Just in art or satin sheets. Sometimes it gets so hard to breathe,Till I pop a (pen) cap, and then relief…Contents13.

Why are you so angry?16. African Child19.

Ebony22. Bantu Princess25.

Asante Sana, Baba naMai28. Protect black women31.

The black woman archytype35. Jigaboo38.

King/Queen already41. Lost and Found44.

Stop playing with me ‘fore I turn you into a poem47. Melenated Madness50.

The West, you do the most53. Two can play that game57.

Refugee60. At least it’s not jail or crack63.

Freedom66. Don’t dread these locs69.

Ambition: the cure of the poison72. Tough love75.

Cypher78. Kill them before they grow81.

Black power(lessness)84. For ghetto kids87.

Save me90. Cypher 293.

A King in Plato’s Cave96. Growing up in inner city London: tales from my childhood.