{"id":12013,"date":"2014-08-13T22:00:29","date_gmt":"2014-08-13T22:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/?p=12013"},"modified":"2020-07-29T20:14:05","modified_gmt":"2020-07-29T20:14:05","slug":"ingland-is-a-bitch-making-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/?p=12013","title":{"rendered":"Linton Kwesi Johnson"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>LKJ<\/strong>\u00a0(born in\u00a0Jamaica, 24 August 1952) is a UK-based\u00a0dub poet. In 2002 he became the second living poet, and the only black poet, to be published in the\u00a0Penguin Modern Classics\u00a0series.\u00a0His performance poetry involves the recitation of his own verse in\u00a0<a title=\"Jamaican Patois\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jamaican_Patois\">Jamaican Patois<\/a>\u00a0over\u00a0dub-reggae, usually written in collaboration with renowned British reggae producer\/artist\u00a0<a title=\"Dennis Bovell\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dennis_Bovell\">Dennis Bovell<\/a>. His middle name, \u00abKwesi\u00bb, is\u00a0Ghanaian.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">\u00a0<em><strong>\u00abWriting was a political act and poetry was a cultural weapon.\u00bb\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><strong>&#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.poetryarchive.org\/poetryarchive\/singlePoet.do?poetId=14957\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Linton Kwesi Johnson<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"watch-headline-title\">\u25ca\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lintonkwesijohnson.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">L K J<\/a> \u00a0 \u2193 \u00a0 Inglan Is A Bitch<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Zq9OpJYck7Y\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>W\u00b4en mi jus\u00b4 come to Landan toun<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Mi use to work pan di andahgroun<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>But workin\u00b4 pan di andahgroun<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Y\u00b4u don\u00b4t get fi know your way around<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dere\u00b4s no escapin it<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dere\u00b4s no runnin\u00b4 whey fram it<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Mi get a lickle jab in a bih \u00b4otell<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>An\u00b4 awftah a while, mi woz doin\u00b4 quite well<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dem staat mi aaf as a dish-washah<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>But w\u00b4en mi tek a stack, mi noh tun clack-watchah<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dere\u00b4s no escapin it<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>No baddah try fi hide fram it<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>W\u00b4en dem gi\u00b4 you di lickle wage packit<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Fus dem rab it wid dem big tax rackit<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Y\u00b4u haffi struggle fi mek en\u00b4s meet<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>An\u00b4 w\u00b4en y\u00b4u goh a y\u00b4u bed y\u00b4u jus\u00b4 can\u00b4t sleep<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dere\u00b4s no escapin it<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>A noh lie mi a tell, a true<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Mi use to work dig ditch w\u00b4en it cowl noh bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Mi did strang like a mule, but bwoy, mi did fool<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Den awftah a while mi jus\u00b4 stap dhu ovahtime<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Den awftah a while mi jus\u00b4 phu dung mi tool<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dere\u00b4s no escapin it<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Y\u00b4u haffi know how fi survive in it<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Well mi dhu day wok an\u00b4 mi dhu nite wok<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Mi dhu clean wok an\u00b4 mi dhu dutty wok<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dem seh dat black man is very lazy<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>But if y\u00b4u si how mi wok y\u00b4u woulda sey mi crazy<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dere\u00b4s no escapin it<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Y\u00b4u bettah face up to it<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Dem a have a lickle facktri up inna Brackly<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Inna disya facktri all dem dhu is pack crackry<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Fi di laas fifteen years dem get mi laybah<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Now awftah fifteen years mi fall out a fayvah<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dere\u00b4s no escapin it<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dere\u00b4s no runnin\u00b4 whey fram it<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Mi know dem have work, work in abundant<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Yet still, dem mek mi redundant<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Now, at fifty-five mi gettin\u00b4 quite ol\u00b4<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Yet still, dem sen\u00b4 mi fi goh draw dole<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dere\u00b4s no escapin it<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Inglan is a bitch<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Is whey wi a goh dhu \u00b4bout it?<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>\u00a0\u25ca \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lintonkwesijohnson.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LKJ<\/a> \u00a0\u2193 \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=-coL1_osBFc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mekkin histri<\/a>\u00a0 \u21d0<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WtVkLVOP9cU\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<address><strong>Now tell mi someting<\/strong>\u00a0 &#8211; \u00a0<strong>Mistah govahment<\/strong>\u00a0 &#8211; \u00a0<strong>Tell mi someting<\/strong><\/address>\n<address><strong>How lang yu really feel<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Yu coulda keep wi andah heel<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Wen di trute done reveal<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Bout how yu grab an steal<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Bout how yu mek yu crooked deal<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Mek yu crooked deal?<\/strong><\/address>\n<address><strong>Well doun in soutall<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Where peach did get fall<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Di Asians dem faam up a human wall<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Gense di fashist an dem police sheil<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>An dem show dat di Asians gat plenty zeal<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Gat plenty zeal, gat plenty zeal<\/strong><\/address>\n<address><strong>It is noh mistri<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0&#8211; \u00a0\u00a0<strong>Wi mekkin histri<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>It is noh mistri<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0&#8211; \u00a0\u00a0<strong>Wi winnin victri<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Now tell mi someting<\/strong>\u00a0 &#8211; \u00a0<strong>Mistah police spokesman<\/strong>\u00a0 &#8211; \u00a0<strong>Tell mi someting<\/strong><\/address>\n<address><strong>How lang yu really tink<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Wi woulda tek yu batn lick<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Yu jackboot kick<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Yu dutty bag a tricks<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>An yu racist pallyticks<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Yu racist pallyticks?<\/strong><\/address>\n<address><strong>Well doun in Bristal<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dey ad noh pistal<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>But dem chase di babylan away<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Man yu shoulda si yu babylan<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>How dem really run away<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Yu shoulda si yu babylan dem dig up dat dey<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Dig up dat dey, dig up dat dey<\/strong><\/address>\n<address><strong>It is noh mistri<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0&#8211; \u00a0\u00a0<strong>Wi mekkin histri<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>It is noh mistri<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0&#8211; \u00a0\u00a0<strong>Wi winnin victri<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Now tell mi someting<\/strong>\u00a0 &#8211; \u00a0<strong>Mistah ritewing man<\/strong>\u00a0 &#8211; \u00a0<strong>Tell mi someting<\/strong><\/address>\n<address><strong>How lang yu really feel<a href=\"http:\/\/literature.britishcouncil.org\/linton-kwesi-johnson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-12014\" title=\"LKJ\" src=\"http:\/\/www.eoisabi.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/LKJ.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"301\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/LKJ.jpg 301w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/LKJ-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/englishroam.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/LKJ-300x299.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 301px) 100vw, 301px\" \/><\/a><\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Wi woulda grovel an squeal<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Wen soh much murdah canceal<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Wen wi woun cyaan heal<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Wen wi feel di way wi feel<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Feel di way wi feel?<\/strong><\/address>\n<address><strong>Well dere woz Toxteh<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>An dere woz moss side<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>An a lat a addah places<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Whey di police ad to hide<\/strong><\/address>\n<address><strong>Well dere woz Brixtan<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>An dere woz Chapeltoun<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>An a lat a addah place dat woz burnt to di groun<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Burnt to di groun, burnt to di groun<\/strong><\/address>\n<address><strong>It is noh mistri<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0&#8211; \u00a0\u00a0<strong>Wi mekkin histri<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>It is noh mistri<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0&#8211; \u00a0\u00a0<strong>Wi winnin victri<\/strong><\/address>\n<address>\u2026\u00a0\u2022\u00a0\u2026<\/address>\n<h4>\u2666 \u00a0Want Fi Goh Rave \u00a0\u2193 \u00a0[2007]<\/h4>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BC7Z3VBzUWU\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>I woz<br \/>\nWaakin doun di road road<br \/>\nDi addah day<br \/>\nWhen a hear a lickle yout-man say<\/p>\n<p>Him seh<br \/>\nYu noh si mi situation<br \/>\nMi dont have noh accamadaeshan<br \/>\nMi haffi sign aan at di station<br \/>\nAt six in di evenin<br \/>\nMi seh mi life got no meanin<br \/>\nAh jus livin widout feelin<\/p>\n<p>Still mi haffi mek a raze<br \/>\nKaw mi come af age<br \/>\nAn mi want fi goh rave<\/p>\n<p>I woz waakin doun di road<br \/>\nAnnadah day<br \/>\nWen ah hear annadah yout-man say<\/p>\n<p>Him seh<br \/>\nMi naw wok fi noh pittance<br \/>\nMi naw draw dem assistance<br \/>\nMi use to run a lickle rackit<br \/>\nBut wha, di police dem di stap it<br \/>\nAn ah had woz to hap it<\/p>\n<p>Still mi haffi mek a raze<br \/>\nKaw mi come af age<br \/>\nAn mi want fi goh rave<\/p>\n<p>I woz waakin doun di road<br \/>\nYet annadah day<br \/>\nWen ah hear annadah yout-man say<\/p>\n<p>Him seh<br \/>\nMi haffi pick a packit<br \/>\nTek a wallit fram a jackit<br \/>\nMi haffi dhu it real crabit<br \/>\nAn if a lackit mi haffi pap it<br \/>\nAn if a safe mi haffi crack it<br \/>\nAr chap it wid mi hatchit<\/p>\n<p>But mi haffi mek a raze<br \/>\nKaw mi come af age<br \/>\nAn mi want fi goh rave<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">\u25ca \u00a0All Wi Doin Is Defendin&#8217; \u00a0\u2193<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8xRo_0yBuhc\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">war&#8230; war&#8230;<br \/>\nmi seh lissen<br \/>\noppressin man<br \/>\nhear what I say if yu can<br \/>\nwi have<br \/>\na grevious blow fi blow<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">wi will fite yu in di street wid we han<br \/>\nwi have a plan<br \/>\nsoh lissen man<br \/>\nget ready fi tek some blows<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">doze days<br \/>\nof di truncheon<br \/>\nan doze nites<br \/>\nof melancholy locked in a cell<br \/>\ndoze hours of torture touchin hell<br \/>\ndoze blows dat caused my heart to swell<br \/>\nwere well<br \/>\nnumbered<br \/>\nand are now<br \/>\nat an end<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">all wi doin<br \/>\nis defendin<br \/>\nsoh get yu ready<br \/>\nfi war&#8230; war&#8230;<br \/>\nfreedom is a very firm thing<br \/>\nall oppression<br \/>\ncan do is bring<br \/>\npassion to di eights of eruption<br \/>\nan songs of fire wi will sing<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">no&#8230; no&#8230;<br \/>\nnoh run<br \/>\nyu did soun yu siren<br \/>\nan is war now<br \/>\nwar&#8230; war&#8230;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">di Special Patrol<br \/>\nwill fall<br \/>\nlike a wall force doun<br \/>\nor a toun turn to dus<br \/>\neven dow dem think dem bold<br \/>\nwi know dem cold like ice wid fear<br \/>\nan wi is fire!<br \/>\nchoose yu weapon dem<br \/>\nquick!<br \/>\nall wi need is bakkles an bricks an sticks<br \/>\nwi hav fist<br \/>\nwi fav feet<br \/>\nwi carry dandamite in wi teeth<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">sen fi di riot squad<br \/>\nquick!<br \/>\ncause wi runin wild<br \/>\nwi bittah like bile<br \/>\nblood will guide<br \/>\ntheir way<br \/>\nan I say<br \/>\nall wi doin<br \/>\nis defendin<br \/>\nsoh set yu ready<br \/>\nfi war&#8230; war&#8230;<br \/>\nfreedom is avery fine thing<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">\u25ca \u00a0Hiatus &#8211; Insurrection \u00a0\u2193<\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FQNGoqdQnRk\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Insurrection<\/strong>\u00a0is a\u00a0beautiful blend of dub reggae poetry and steady electronic beats that are used to remember and discuss the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1981_Brixton_riot\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brixton riots of 1981<\/a>, that not only affected Brixton\u2019s black community but Britain as a\u00a0nation. It is the first single off of Hiatus\u2019 forthcoming LP\u00a0<strong>Ghost Notes<\/strong>\u00a0and features respected dub poet<a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Linton_Kwesi_Johnson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u00a0<\/a>Linton Kwesi Johnson.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The track is a\u00a0poetic collaboration of Linton\u2019s lyrics tinted with his distinctive Jamaican tones and Hiatus\u2019, aka Cyrus Shahrad, smooth vocals and steady electro beats. Both artists have different roles in the track, Linton speaks from the perspective of being in the Riots, he starts the track by saying\u00a0<em><strong>\u201cit was in April 1981\u201d<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0and reminiscing about the\u00a0riots . . .<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>\u2666 \u00a0Di Great Insohreckshan<\/strong>\u00a0\u2193<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hpypYcMe16I\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div id=\"songlyrics\" style=\"text-align: center;\">it woz in April nineteen eighty-wan<br \/>\ndoun inna di ghetto af Brixtan<br \/>\ndat di babylan dem cause such a frickshan<br \/>\nan it bring about a great insohreckshan<br \/>\nan it spread all ovah di naeshan<br \/>\nit woz a truly an histarical okayjan<br \/>\nit woz event af di year<br \/>\nan I wish I ad been dere<br \/>\nwen wi run riot all ovah Brixtan<br \/>\nwen wi mash-up plenty police van<br \/>\nwen wi mash-up di wicked wan plan<br \/>\nwen wi mash-up di Swamp Eighty-wan<br \/>\nfi wha?<br \/>\nfi mek di rulah dem andahstan<br \/>\ndat wi naw tek noh more a dem oppreshan<br \/>\nan wen mi ckeck out<br \/>\ndi ghetto grapevine<br \/>\nfi fine out all I coulda fine<br \/>\nevry rebel jussa revel in dem story<br \/>\ndem a taak bout di powah an di glory<br \/>\ndem a taak bout di burnin an di lootin<br \/>\ndem a taak bout smashin an di grabbin<br \/>\ndem a tell mi bout di vanquish an di victri<br \/>\ndem seh: di babylan dem went too far<br \/>\nsoh wha?<br \/>\nwi ad woz fi bun two kyar<br \/>\nan wan an two innocent ge mar<br \/>\nbut wha?<br \/>\nnoh soh it goh sometime inna war<br \/>\neen star<br \/>\nnoh soh it goh sometime inna war<br \/>\ndem seh: win bun dung di George<br \/>\nwi coulda bin di lanlaad<br \/>\nwi bun dung di George<br \/>\nwi nevah bun di lanlaad<br \/>\nwen wi run riot all ovah Brixtan<br \/>\nwen wi mash-up plenty police van<br \/>\nwen wi mash-up di wicked wan plan<br \/>\nwen wi mash-up di Swamp Eighty-wan<br \/>\ndem seh: wi commandeer kyar<br \/>\nan wi ghaddah aminishan<br \/>\nwi buil wi barricade<br \/>\nan di wicked ketch afraid<br \/>\nwi sen out wi scout<br \/>\nfi goh fine dem whereabout<br \/>\nden wi faam-up wi passi<br \/>\nan wi mek wi raid<br \/>\now dem run gaan<br \/>\ngoh plancountah-hackshan<br \/>\nbut di plastic bullit<br \/>\nan di waatah canon<br \/>\nwill bring a blam-blam<br \/>\nwill bring a blam-blam<br \/>\nnevah mine Scarman<br \/>\nwill bring a blam-blam<\/div>\n<h5>\u2666 \u2192\u00a0&#8216;<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lyrster.com\/lyrics\/liesense-fi-kill-lyrics-linton-kwesi-johnson.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Liesense Fi Kill<\/a>&#8216;\u00a0\u00a0\u2190[with the Dennis Bowell Dub Band<\/strong>_Paris]<\/h5>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YT03HR_HAH8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h4 id=\"watch-headline-title\" style=\"text-align: left;\">\u25ca \u00a0Reality Poem\u00a0\u2193<\/h4>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QB0-BWsvsz8\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Dis is di age af reality<br \/>\nBut some a wi a deal wid mitalagy<br \/>\nDis is di age af science an&#8217; teknalagy<br \/>\nBut some a wi check fi antiquity<\/p>\n<p>W&#8217;en wi can&#8217;t face reality<br \/>\nWi leggo wi clarity<br \/>\nSome latch aan to vanity<br \/>\nSome hol&#8217; insanity<br \/>\nSome get vision<br \/>\nStart preach relijan<br \/>\nBut dem can&#8217;t mek decishan<br \/>\nW&#8217;en it come to we fite<br \/>\nDem can&#8217;t mek decishan<br \/>\nW&#8217;en it comes to wi rites<\/p>\n<p>Man,<br \/>\nDis is di age af reality<br \/>\nBut some a wi deal wid mitalagy<br \/>\nDis is di age af science an&#8217; teknalagy<br \/>\nBut some a wi check fi antiquity<\/p>\n<p>Dem one deh gaan outta line<br \/>\nDem naw live in fi wi time<br \/>\nFar dem she dem get sign<br \/>\nAn&#8217; dem bline dem eye<br \/>\nTo di lite a di worl&#8217;<br \/>\nAn&#8217; gaan search widin<br \/>\nDi dark a dem doom<br \/>\nAn&#8217; a shout &#8216;bout sin<br \/>\nInstead a fite fi win<\/p>\n<p>Man,<br \/>\nDis is di age af reality<br \/>\nBut some a wi deal wid mitalagy<br \/>\nDis is di age af science an&#8217; teknalagy<br \/>\nBut some a wi check fi antiquity<\/p>\n<p>Dis is di age af decishan<br \/>\nSoh mek wi leggo relijan<br \/>\nDis is di age af decishan<br \/>\nSoh mek we leggo divishan<br \/>\nDis is di age af reality<br \/>\nSoh mek we leggo mitalagy<br \/>\nDis is di age of science an&#8217; teknalagy<br \/>\nSoh mek wi hol&#8217; di clarity<br \/>\nMek wi hol&#8217; di clarity<br \/>\nMek wi hol&#8217; di clarity<\/p>\n<h6 style=\"text-align: right;\">\u2022\u2192\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=P8GKQsef1OI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=P8GKQsef1OI<\/a>\u00a0\u2190<\/h6>\n<h3>\u25ca \u00a0Sonny\u00b4s Lettah \u00a0\u2193\u00a0(anti-sus poem)<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7uvY5qU7ayg\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>From Brixton Prison, Jebb Avenue London S.W. 2 Inglan<\/p>\n<p>Dear mama<br \/>\ngood day<br \/>\nI hope that when these few lines reach you they may<br \/>\nfind you in the best of health<br \/>\nI doun know how to tell ya dis<br \/>\nfor I did mek a solemn promise<br \/>\nto tek care a lickle Jim<br \/>\nan try mi bes fi look out fi him<\/p>\n<p>mama, I really did try mi bes<br \/>\nbut none a di less<br \/>\nsorry fi tell ya seh, poor lickle Jim get arres<br \/>\nit was de miggle a di rush hour<br \/>\nhevrybody jus a hustle and a bustle<br \/>\nto go home fi dem evenin shower<br \/>\nmi an Jim stan up waitin pon a bus<br \/>\nnot causin no fuss<\/p>\n<p>when all of a sudden a police van pull up<br \/>\nout jump tree policemen<br \/>\nde whole a dem carryin baton<br \/>\ndem walk straight up to me and Jim<br \/>\none a dem hold on to Jim<br \/>\nseh dem tekin him in<br \/>\nJim tell him fi leggo a him<br \/>\nfor him nah do nutt&#8217;n<br \/>\nand &#8216;im nah t&#8217;ief, not even a but&#8217;n<br \/>\nJim start to wriggle<br \/>\nde police start to giggle<\/p>\n<p>mama, mek I tell you wa dem do to Jim?<br \/>\nmek I tell you wa dem do to &#8216;im?<\/p>\n<p>Dem thump him him in him belly and it turn to jelly<br \/>\nDem lick &#8216;im pon &#8216;im back and &#8216;im rib get pop<br \/>\nDem thump him pon him head but it tough like lead<br \/>\nDem kick &#8216;im in &#8216;im seed and it started to bleed<\/p>\n<p>Mama, I jus couldn&#8217;t stan up deh, nah do nuttin&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>So mi jook one in him eye and him started fi cry<br \/>\nme thump him pon him mout and him started fi shout<br \/>\nme kick him pon him shin so him started fi spin<br \/>\nme hit him pon him chin an him drop pon a bin<br \/>\n&#8211; an crash, an dead<\/p>\n<p>More policman come dung<br \/>\ndem beat me to the grung<br \/>\ndem charge Jim fi sus<br \/>\ndem charge mi fi murdah<\/p>\n<p>mama, doan fret<br \/>\ndoan get depress an downhearted<br \/>\nbe of good courage<br \/>\ntill I hear from you<br \/>\nI remain<br \/>\nYour son,<br \/>\nSonny<strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><strong>\u2022\u2192\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Wm1jkaVztqY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">If I Woz A Tap Natch Poet<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u2193<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">\u2192<a href=\"https:\/\/poetryarchive.org\/poem\/if-i-woz-tap-natch-poet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">http:\/\/www.poetryarchive.org\/singlepoemId=14959<\/a><\/p>\n<h6 id=\"watch-headline-title\">\u2666 \u00a0Spoken Word \u2193\u00a0Linton Kwesi Johnson &amp; Henry Rollins<\/h6>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-N1wz0VLFEc\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>[Five Nights of Bleeding&#8230;]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Madness, madness<br \/>\nMadness tight on the heads of the rebels<br \/>\nThe bitterness erup&#8217;s like a heart blas&#8217;<br \/>\nBroke glass, ritual of blood an&#8217; a-burnin&#8217;<br \/>\nServed by a cruelin&#8217; fighting<br \/>\nFive nights of horror and of bleeding<br \/>\nBroke glass, cold blades as sharp as the eyes of hate<br \/>\nAnd the stabbin&#8217;, it&#8217;s<br \/>\nWar amongs&#8217; the rebels<br \/>\nMadness, madness, war<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>\u00abThe cold war is over and we&#8217;re living in a&#8230; very dangerous period, where nobody knows what he&#8217;s going to do much &#8211; the Americans are talking about a new world order but I think what they mean by a new world order is American domination of the world&#8230; um &#8230; or the G-seven countries domination of the world. And if that is the case, then I&#8217;m afraid there&#8217;s gonna be a lot of more conflict, because the people from the Third World, people from poor countries are no longer, I think, gonna be prepared to live under the domination of these big powers.\u00bb<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>[Great Insohreckshan &#8230;]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>It was in April, nineteen&#8230;..eighty one<br \/>\nDown &#8216;n on dee ghetto of Brix-ton<br \/>\nDat deh Babylon dem cause such a fric-tion<br \/>\nDat it bring about a GREAT insohreck-shun<br \/>\nAnd it spread all over deh nay-shun<br \/>\nIt was TRULY an historical occas-sion<br \/>\nIt was event of deh year and I wish I had been deer<br \/>\nWhen we run riot &#8216;tall over Brixton<br \/>\nWhen we MASH up 20 police van<br \/>\nWhen we MASH up the wicked one plan<br \/>\nWhen we MASH up the swam(?) &#8217;81, fi what?<br \/>\nFi make deh rule of dem understand<br \/>\nDat we&#8217;re NAH \u00a0no more a \u00a0democracy<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">LKJ (born in Jamaica, 24 August 1952) is a UK-based dub poet. In 2002 he became the second living poet, and the only black poet, to be published in the Penguin Modern Classics series. His performance poetry involves the recitation of his own verse in Jamaican Patois over dub-reggae, usually written in collaboration [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":12014,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[288,168],"tags":[70,102,299],"class_list":["post-12013","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-poem","category-lyrics2","tag-e_video","tag-lyrics","tag-blighty","odd"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12013","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12013"}],"version-history":[{"count":39,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12013\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55082,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12013\/revisions\/55082"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/englishroam.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}