The voice, that of the poet, is the first person singular ‘I’. The effect is to give the poem unity, yet freedom to express the poet’s personality and thoughts. The second stanza is eight lines long and lines six and eight are rhymed. The rhyme scheme is broadly an ABCB DEFE pattern to the end of the first stanza.
The poem comprises two stanzas of irregular length. The second stanza portrays defiance and ends with humour, effectively morally disempowering those who insult and stereotype the poet. The first stanza deals with the wearying stereotyping that society imposes, at worst as an expression of racism and abuse, and at best patronising and demeaning. This is effective in that Zephaniah, by expressing strongly his own personality and experiences, gives the poem its power and authenticity. The most striking characteristic of this poem is the voice that of the poet, a young black man with the distinctive accent and speech rhythms of his Jamaican parentage and Birmingham environment.
