Date: 10 March 2008 at 20:00
Venue: St. James Cavalier Centre for Creativity

His style is rhythmic and lyrical and has the ability to make you smile and to make you think.

Henry Normal, Web page introduction

In March the British poet Levi Tafari will be visiting Malta, brought over by the British Council. He will be holding a reading of his poetry on Tuesday 10th March at St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity in Valletta. Entrance is free of charge.

Levi Tafari was born in Liverpool and is the author of four poetry collections: Duboetry (1987), Liverpool Experience (1989) and Rhyme Don't Pay (1998) and From the Page to the Stage (2006). His plays have been performed at the Unity Theatre and the Playhouse in Liverpool, as well as at the Blackheath Theatre in Stafford. He has also worked on educational projects running creative writing workshops in schools, colleges, universities, youth centres, prisons and libraries. Levi Tafari has made a well-received film on Rastafarianism for BBC television’s Everyman programme entitled The Road to Zion. His musical projects include work with Ghanian drum and dance ensemble Delado, the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and his own reggae fusion band Ministry of Love. He has also played with Urban Strawberry Lunch and Griot Workshop and has recently worked with jazz musician Dennis Rollins.

Levi Tafari has also worked on educational projects running creative writing workshops in schools, colleges, universities, youth centres, prisons and libraries.

In Malta he will be leading creative writing workshops with the pupils of two schools: St Clare College, Boy’s Secondary School in Gzira and Sir Luigi Preziosi Girl’s Secondary School in Pembroke, as part of The British Council’s INDIE project (Integration and Diversity in Education).

MELANIN by Levi Tafari

Melanin I love you

you mean so much to me

Oh! Melanin your beauty

is far richer than the eye can see

my Melanin embraces me

from my head to my toes

Oh! Melanin I would never forsake

this I want you to know.  

You lie with me

when I sleep at night

you guide me

through the day

you take me to

a higher height

I love to watch you play

I often face heavy abuse

when you’re out with me

some people haven’t got my Melanin

so they show their jealousy

but no matter what they say or do

it won’t stop me from loving you

my Melanin

precious Melanin

the pigmentation of my skin.