Poem of the Week

Inglan' Is A Bitch
Linton Kwesi Johnson

W´en mi jus´ come to Landan toun
Mi use to work pan di andahgroun
But workin´ pan di andahgroun
Y´u don´t get fi know your way around

Inglan is a bitch
Dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
Dere´s no runnin´ whey fram it

Mi get a lickle jab in a bih ´otell
An´ awftah a while, mi woz doin´ quite well
Dem staat mi aaf as a dish-washah
But w´en mi tek a stack, mi noh tun clack-watchah

Inglan is a bitch
Dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
No baddah try fi hide fram it

W´en dem gi´ you di lickle wage packit
Fus dem rab it wid dem big tax rackit
Y´u haffi struggle fi mek en´s meet
An´ w´en y´u goh a y´u bed y´u jus´ can´t sleep

Inglan is a bitch
Dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
A noh lie mi a tell, a true

Mi use to work dig ditch w´en it cowl noh bitch
Mi did strang like a mule, but bwoy, mi did fool
Den awftah a while mi jus´ stap dhu ovahtime
Den awftah a while mi jus´ phu dung mi tool

Inglan is a bitch
Dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
Y´u haffi know how fi survive in it

Well mi dhu day wok an´ mi dhu nite wok
Mi dhu clean wok an´ mi dhu dutty wok
Dem seh dat black man is very lazy
But if y´u si how mi wok y´u woulda sey mi crazy

Inglan is a bitch
Dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
Y´u bettah face up to it

Dem a have a lickle facktri up inna Brackly
Inna disya facktri all dem dhu is pack crackry
Fi di laas fifteen years dem get mi laybah
Now awftah fifteen years mi fall out a fayvah

Inglan is a bitch
Dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
Dere´s no runnin´ whey fram it

Mi know dem have work, work in abundant
Yet still, dem mek mi redundant
Now, at fifty-five mi gettin´ quite ol´
Yet still, dem sen´ mi fi goh draw dole

Inglan is a bitch
Dere´s no escapin it
Inglan is a bitch
Is whey wi a goh dhu ´bout it?