Inua Ellams is a poet and graphic artist. He is also Covent Garden's Creative in Residence for 2010, to celebrate the 180th Anniversary of the Market Building. Here he performs one of his compositions at the Poetry Cafe in Covent Garden, London. Candy Coated Unicorns And Converse All Stars She asks what I'm crying for I tell her it's the same thing dolphins are dying for, that in my last life I was ultramarineian and though now I am a land lover, I often re-swim the blue; These tears are re-washed waters of BB King's daughters, plugged into the ocean's floor, re-sorrowed and renewed, these tears are the Blues in Bloom. I ask her what she's crying for. shoulders slump, head rises. Bloodshot are the whites of her eyes and her pupils sparkle bright black. Her legs begin to buckle, I catch her before she hits the café floor and in my arms she whispers between sobs it's the same thing you're crying for that in the last hour, her boyfriend was a boxer and her jaw will testify. As she says this, her whole body sighs as if to speak makes it a truth she can no longer deny and I half carry half drag her to the coffee table The café is littered with newspapers that tell bitter fables of war in the Middle East. Snatched snippets of its distant screams pierce this bubble of brown water and baked yeast she tells of her boyfriend of a beast, as she speaks blood drips from her broken lips, slips into her coffee cup before I can stop her, she takes a sip It's a thing going where it should <b>...</b>

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www.soulculture.co.uk "I started writing poetry in 2001... because I couldn't afford paint." - 25 year old Inua Ellams: born in Nigeria but resides in London where he spends his days and nights busily establishing himself as one of the city's most buzzworthy visual and verbal artists. As part of his word domination, he has performed all around the country and is a member of a growing number of poetry and creative collectives including OneTaste, A Poem In Between People, Malika's Poetry Kitchen, NewBlood, Generation Txt... and probably several others since I began writing this paragraph. "I'm from a long line of trouble makers, of ash skinned Africans, born with clenched fists and a natural thirst for battle, only quenched by breast milk." - The above quote hollers from his self-penned play: The 14th Tale, which opens at London's National Theatre in the second week of February. A biographical coming of age story, the one-person play charts his experiences growing up in Nigeria, being schooled in Ireland and returning to England, where his career currently blossoms. Watch Inua talk about his play, his poetry - and the life experiences that inspire both - along with a performance of his poem "What Becomes of The Broken Hearted", in our video. www.soulculture.co.uk

Inua Ellams London poet The 14th Tale National Theatre What Became Of Broken Hearted Nii Ayikwei Parkes Phaze05 onetaste poem inbetween people nigeria dublin Soul Culture Media

Inua Ellams performs to an improvised jazz soundtrack at Tongue Fu, Richmix, Oct '09

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Inua Ellams reads his Mission Statement, a few hours before taking The Stage at the Udderbelly in London's Soutbank.

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'Londons hottest new spoken word talent.' The Times The 14th Tale, presented by Fuel, tells the hilarious exploits of a natural born mischief growing from the clay streets of Nigeria to the rooftops of Dublin, and finally to London. Combining comic dialogue with deft and beautiful poetry, Ellams vividly brings to life the characters that punctuate his upbringing, offering an intimate account of the trials of adolescence and what it means to be a young, black male in London today. 'Creates whole worlds through the voice of a single performer.' The Scotsman 'Im from a long line of trouble makers, of ash skinned Africans, born with clenched fists and a natural thirst for battle, only quenched by breast milk.' The 14th Tale will be at the National Theatre for 10 performances between 9 February - 13 March. All tickets are priced at £10. Visit the website to book online: www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

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Trailer for Inua Ellams' 2nd Play, 'Untitled'. Produced by Fuel and Soho Theatre touring England through Autumn 2010.

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Beatcast TV Presents Inua Ellams @ The Jazz Cafe

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Inua Ellams performs to an improvised jazz soundtrack at Tongue Fu, Richmix, London, Oct '09

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Inua Ellams performs Lovers, Liars, Conjurers and Thieves at Apples & Snakes in Soho for Apples & Snakes Apples & Snakes is the UK's leading organisation for performance poetry www.applesandsnakes.org

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Fuel Presents: An excerpt from The 14th Tale by Inua Ellams 18th - 20th March Arcola Theatre, London. Directed by Thierry Lawson. Written and Performed by Inua Ellams Inua ~ phaze // 05 word & graphic artist // phaze05.com // "My first full length show, 'The 14th Tale' is at the Arcola Theatre // 27 Arcola Street, London E8 2DJ // On the 18th, 19th, 20th March. It is a funny mellifluous narrative about the shhhtupidness I got up to as a kid, moving from Nigeria to Dublin and to London. Come see. // londonwordfestival.com // Box Office: 020 7503 1646 or piurl.com/1Ctn"

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The amazing Mr Gee popped by the JAZZ VERSE JUKEBOX, Ronnie Scott's, London on the 12th July to break in a new poem about Michael Jackson. The JAZZ VERSE JUKEBOX is a monthly evening of jazz, poetry and open mic hosted by broadcaster and vocalist Jumoké Fashola. 12th July 09 featured poet Roger Robinson, lyricist and author Inua Ellams and thepoet Mark Gwynne Jones. Plus music from Sirena Riley; Jumoké Fashola For more information about the JAZZ VERSE JUKEBOX go to www.jumokefashola.com

Mr Gee; Russell Brand; Jazz; Michael Jackson; MJ; Death; Roger Robinson; Mark Gwynne Jones; Inua Ellams; #Jumoke Fashola; #Jazz Verse Jukebox; #Ronnie Scott's; Ronnies Bar divaafricanus

The first in a series of three unmissable events for venue programmers and producers to sample the best new live literature and spoken word, debate and discuss this fast developing artform and network with artists and colleagues. Highlights on 11 June 2009 included the High Llamas performance of a new collaboration with author Jonathan Coe, poet Kate Fox's "Rules of Engagement", and other performances from Inua Ellams, Polar Bear and all the way from South Africa, Lebo Mashile

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A poem written and performed by Inua Ellams.

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The Mystical Sirena Riley at the JAZZ VERSE JUKEBOX accompanied by Tom Donald & Mark Buckingham performed tracks from her new Album, "The lunatic, the Lover, and the Poet". The JAZZ VERSE JUKEBOX is a monthly evening of jazz, poetry and open mic hosted by broadcaster and vocalist Jumoké Fashola. 12th July 09 featured poet Roger Robinson, lyricist and author Inua Ellams and thepoet Mark Gwynne Jones. Plus music from Sirena Riley; Jumoké Fashola For more information about the JAZZ VERSE JUKEBOX go to www.jumokefashola.com

Mr Gee; Russell Brand; Jazz; Michael Jackson; MJ; Death; Roger Robinson; Mark Gwynne Jones; Inua Ellams; #Jumoke Fashola; BBC London; Ronnie Scotts; Performance Poetry; Jazz in London divaafricanus

Inua Ellams reads "Of all the boys of Plateau Private School" and an Interview with Kayo Chingonyi

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Excerpt from the first in a series of 3 events by flipped eye publishing celebrating 10 years of pioneering publishing at the Ritzy, Brixton. flipped eye thursdays: FE NEW features Jacqueline Saphra, Nina Bahadur and Inua Ellams with singer-songwriter J.Gordon (accompanied by producer Nathan Lay)

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Collected Cuts is an evening of Music, Comedy and Poetry run by Veni Vidi Theatre. The gig on 20.11.08 featured: Madame Pepper, James Kermack, Jasmine Ann Cooray, Ginger and Black, Patch Hyde, Tom Fox-Davies, Inua Ellams, Jack Gavin, Tereza, Holly Burn and Mothers Ruin.

Collected Cuts Veni Vidi Theatre Madame Pepper James Kermack Jasmine Ann Cooray Ginger and Black Patch Hyde Tom Fox-Davies Inua Ellams Jack Gavin Tereza Holly Burn Mothers Ruin venividitheatre

Poets Lucy Lepchani, Ben Mellor, Jackie Juno and Inua Ellams performing about CHANGE and ACTION at the Interrogate! Festival 2011 at Dartington Hall. www.dartington.org/interrogate

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Collected Cuts is an evening of Music, Comedy and Poetry run by Veni Vidi Theatre. The gig on 20.11.08 featured: Madame Pepper, James Kermack, Jasmine Ann Cooray, Ginger and Black, Patch Hyde, Tom Fox-Davies, Inua Ellams, Jack Gavin, Tereza, Holly Burn and Mothers Ruin.

Collected Cuts Veni Vidi Theatre Madame Pepper James Kermack Jasmine Ann Cooray Ginger and Black Patch Hyde Tom Fox-Davies Inua Ellams Jack Gavin Tereza Holly Burn Mothers Ruin venividitheatre