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Also by Lemn Sissay
Poetry
Perceptions of the Pen
Tender Fingers in a Clenched Fist
The Fire People (ed.)
Morning Breaks in the Elevator
Rebel Without Applause
The Emperor’s Watchmaker
Listener
Gold from the Stone
Drama
Skeletons in the Cupboard
Don’t Look Down
Chaos by Design
Storm
Something Dark
Why I Don’t Hate White People
Refugee Boy
First published in Great Britain, the USA and Canada in 2019
by Canongate Books Ltd, 14 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TE
Distributed in the USA by Publishers Group West
and in Canada by Publishers Group Canada
This digital edition first published in 2019 by Canongate Books
Copyright © Lemn Sissay, 2019
The right of Lemn Sissay to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
Excerpt from ‘Ride Natty Ride’, written by Bob Marley.
Published by Fifty Six Hope Road Music Ltd/Primary Wave/
Blue Mountain.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available on request from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 78689 234 8
eISBN 978 1 78689 235 5
For
Yemarshet, Tsahaiwork, Teguest, Mehatem,
Giday, Abiyu, Mimi, Wuleta,
Catherine, David, Christopher, Sarah and Helen
The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why
—Anon., attributed to Mark Twain
I am the bull in the china shop
With all my strength and will
As a storm smashed the teacups
I stood still
CONTENTS
