Sonny's Lettah
By: Linton Kwesi Johnson 

From Brixton Prison, Jebb Avenue London S.W. 2 Inglan

Dear mama

good day

I hope that when these few lines reach you they may

find you in the best of health

I doun know how to tell ya dis

for I did mek a solemn promise

to tek care a lickle Jim

an try mi bes fi look out fi him 

mama, I really did try mi bes

but none a di less

sorry fi tell ya seh, poor lickle Jim get arres 

it was de miggle a di rush hour

hevrybody jus a hustle and a bustle

to go home fi dem evenin shower

mi an Jim stan up waitin pon a bus

not causin no fuss

when all of a sudden a police van pull up

out jump tree policemen

de whole a dem carryin baton

dem walk straight up to me and Jim

one a dem hold on to Jim

seh dem tekin him in

Jim tell him fi leggo a him

for him nah do nutt'n

and 'im nah t'ief, not even a but'n

Jim start to wriggle

de police start to giggle 

mama, mek I tell you wa dem do to Jim?

mek I tell you wa dem do to 'im? 

Dem thump him him in him belly and it turn to jelly

Dem lick 'im pon 'im back and 'im rib get pop

Dem thump him pon him head but it tough like lead

Dem kick 'im in 'im seed and it started to bleed 

Mama, I jus couldn't stan up deh, nah do nuttin' 

So mi jook one in him eye and him started fi cry

me thump him pon him mout and him started fi shout

me kick him pon him shin so him started fi spin

me hit him pon him chin an him drop pon a bin

- an crash, an dead 

More policman come dung

dem beat me to the grung

dem charge Jim fi sus 

dem charge mi fi murdah 

mama, doan fret

doan get depress an downhearted

be of good courage

till I hear from you

I remain

Your son,
Sonny

From Brixton Prison

Patois Thursdays

Back to Africa - By Louise Bennett

Back to Africa, Miss Mattie?
You no know wha you dah seh?
You haf fe come from somewhe fus
Before you go back deh!

Me know say dat you great great great
Granma was African,
But Mattie, doan you great great great
Granpa was Englishman?

Den you great granmader fader
By you fader side was Jew?
An you granpa by you mader side
Was Frenchie parlez-vous?

But de balance a you family,
You whole generation,
Oonoo all barn dung a Bun Grung-
Oonoo all is Jamaican!

Den is weh you gwine, Miss Mattie?
Oh, you view de countenance,
An between you an de Africans
Is great resemblance!

Ascorden to dat, all dem blue-yeye
White American
Who-fa great granpa was Englishman
Mus go back a Englan!

What a debil of a bump-an-bore,
Rig-jig an palam-pam
Ef de whole worl start fe go back
Whe dem great granpa come from!

Ef a hard time you dah run from
Tek you chance! But Mattie, do
Sure a whe you come from so you got
Somewhe fe come back to!

Go a foreign, seek you fortune,
But no tell nobody say
You dah go fe seek you homelan,
For a right deh so you deh!

De Jamaican Pilot

All passengers are in the gate area waiting anxiously to
board their
Air Jamaica flight to the UK . The flight crew are now
about to
board, with the Co-pilot arriving. He is impeccably dressed
in his uniform,
wearing dark glasses and with a white cane finding his way
to the
gate. The airline flight attendants explain to the
passengers, that
although he is blind, he is one of the best co-pilots in
the
company. A few moments later, the Pilot arrives. He
too is impeccably dressed in his uniform, dark glasses
and a white cane, and he is being assisted by two
flight attendants. The Representative in charge at the

waiting area assures the passengers that
although the Pilot is blind, he is the best pilot in
the company, and together with the Co-pilot, they are the
most experienced team in the cockpit.
With everyone on board, the plane is now ready to take
to the runway, ready to take its turn. Now on the
runway, the Air Jamaica flight increases its
speed ready for take off...more and more the speed is
increasing. Still continuing down the runway the plane does
not take
off; it continues to run but stays on the ground.
By this time the passengers are terrified as they all
realize that the end of the runway is getting
closer and closer, and in an explosion of general
hysteria, all of the passengers start screaming
as if they are possessed. At that very moment the
plane miraculously
lifts off..
The Pilot calmly turns to the Co-pilot and says:
"Any day de passenger dem no scream....we salt to
rass!!!

A Jamaican easter.....interpretation ....FOOD.

Easter in Jamaica is normally great. From having fried fish and bammy to the traditional Bun and cheese. A Jamaican easter is normally spent going to the beach and relaxing with family and friends. In households fried fish with an accompaniment of festivals or bammy and Bun and cheese is the order of the day and a Good Friday breakfast is always one to look forward to. I hate that I am not at home in Jamaica to partake of these delicious meals. But all in all God is good and I am very greatful for that.