Charlie Smith (June 20, 1956 — 8 November 2005) was Romnichal poet who had a booklet of his poems published in the 1980s, which included the acclaimed "Space Gypsies" poem. He was from a family of tailors, his schooling was not good and he left early, thinking himself semi-illiterate. He is a member of the International Romani Writers' Association, IRWA (Kansainvälinen Romanikirjailijaliitto) Politics He was a member of the Labour party in Britain and was a sitting councillor, and a commissioner on the Commission for Racial Equality. Books and films The Spirit of the Flame (1990) - Book Not all Waggons and Lanes (1995) - Book Footsteps in the Sand (2004) - Film External links 1956 births 2005 deaths English Romani people Romani poets Romanichal Romani politicians Mayors of places in Essex English male poets 20th-century English poets 20th-century English male writers