power and authority poems

strips the monarchy of traditional dignity whilst criticising them for not seeing or understanding the suffering of people

• plosive sounds- creates anger and harshness

‘an old, mad, blind, despised, dying king’

leaders constantly taking from the country whilst holding onto their power

• extended metaphor of parasite- takes fuel from others suffering

‘ but leechlike to their fainting country cling’

legal systems protect the rich and destroy the vulnerable whilst royals live in wealth and comfort

‘ golden and sanguine laws which tempt and slay’

theft disguised as an innocent game

• childish phrase- ridicules and mocks leader

‘did they say you were lost pot finders are keepers’

some dialects treated as socially inferior/ violent punishments that can be used by teachers

‘the lock rusted shut by hours of elocution […] the teacher’s ruler across your legs’

school is meant to be a safe place

• metaphor- hostile environment girls must fight for and children are compared to soldiers

‘ the school bell is a call to battle’

highlights violence of oppressive regimes trying to stop education

• reference to Malala Yousafzai’s speech: ‘one child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world

‘Bullet […] You have failed. You cannot kill a book or the buzzing in it'

threat from outside dangers as there is a social pressure to hide identity

‘ that way they can’t steal it’

adultification and targeting of young black boys by institutional authority as black people are more likely to be stopped and searched

‘ You fit the description of a man? […] Thirteen, you’ll tell him: you’re thirteen’

brilliance and inner potential of black youth being crushed

• reference to race- black men viewed as dangerous and to be feared like black holes

‘ they are, in fact, dying stars on the verge of becoming black holes’