POETRY BY LINTON KWESI JOHNSON

MEKIN HISTRI
From the book - Mi Revalueshanary Fren: Selected Poems


now tell mi someting
mistah govahment man
tell mi someting

how lang yu really feel
yu couda keep wi andah heel
wen di trute done reveal
bout how yu grab an steal
bout how yu mek crooked deal
mek yu crooked deal?

well doun in Soutall
Where Peach did get fall
di Asians dem faam-up a human wall
an dem show dat di Asians gat plenty zeal
gat plenty zeal
gat plenty zeal

it is noh mistri
wi mekin histri
it is noh mistri
wi winnin victri

now tell mi someting
mistah police spokesman
tell mi someting
how lang yu really tink
wi woodah tek yu batn lick
yu jackboot kick
yu dutty bag a tricks
an yu racist pallytics
yu racist pallytics?

well doun in Bristal
dey ad noh pistal
but dem chace di babylan away
man yu shooda si yu babylan
how dem really run away
yu shooda si yu babylan dem dig-up dat day
dig-up dat day
dig-up dat day

it is noh mistri
wi mekin histri
it is noh mistri
wi winnin victri

now tell mi someting
mistah ritewing man
tell mi someting

how lang yu really feel
wi woodah grovel an squeal
wen soh much murdah canceal
wen wi woun cyaan heal
wen wi feel di way wi feel
feel di way wi feel?

well dere woz Toxteth
an dere woz Moss Side
an a lat a adah places
whe di police ad to hide
well dere woz Brixtan
an dere woz Chapeltoun
an a lat a adah place dat woz burnt to di groun
burnt to di groun
burnt to di groun

it is noh mistri
wi mekin histri
it is noh mistri
wi winnin victri


PEOPLE'S POET
- Linton Kwesi Johnson was born in Chapleton, Jamaica, in 1952. He emigrated to Britain in 1963 and went to school in Brixton. As a youth he joined the Black Panthers movement in Britain and started a poetry group.
- In the mid-1970s he helped bring Jamaican reggae into a British context, dealing directly with police racism and the threat of the National Front.
- The 1981 Brixton riots against racism inspired Linton to write his poem 'Mekin Histri' (ABOVE).

BORROWED FROM: http://pubs.socialistreviewindex.org.uk/sr263/prasad.htm