The judges were Candida Lycett Green and Sir Andrew Motion
Jamal Msebele
Kaleidoscope
The flavours of the world are sticky
sweets in Newham’s pockets
Three miles from the City of London
in the womb of the East End
Newham sits on the bend of the River
pregnant with 365 languages and dialects
Bengali
Greek
Yoruba
Patois
Cockney
Watching her belly swell each day
a shifting scene
Today I walk
through East Ham High Street
Travel the globe in an hour
smelling the fresh aromas of
Dhal
Falafel
Jollof rice
Jerk chicken
Pie ’n’ Mash
I flare my nostrils to take it all in
like a hippopotamus yawning
Eatery lights flash at me
sunlight on silver and gold
I buy into them all
burning cultures on my tongue
This kaleidoscope swirl of tastes
holds nations in my mouth
as if my saliva were the Oceans
© Jamal Msebele, 2006
