Journalist Samira Ahmed speaks with poet, writer, and activist Benjamin Zephaniah about his journey from troubled youth to celebrated poet, the topic of violence in Caribbean households, childhood memories of expressing the desire to be a poet, the importance of the speaker's mother in their journey, and challenging the system and changing paths.

Dr. Benjamin Zephaniah discusses his failure as a 'gangsta' and his prison sentence. He talks about his struggles with dyslexia and leaving mainstream education. The emotional conversation revolves around his failure to have children and male infertility. The chapter explores the Speaker's journey from a troubled childhood, their dreams, family dynamics, and the story of their mother as part of the Windrush generation. They also touch on chosen family, frustration with history education, institutional inequality, and the power of personal stories.