Sonny's lettah - Linton Kwesi Johnson

Brixton Prison
Jebb Avenue
London S.W. 2
England

Dear mama
I doun know how fi tell ya dis
for I did mek a solemn promise
fi 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
evrybody jus a huzzle and a buzzle fi get 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 nottin
him nah thief, not even a butn (???)
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 him?

Dem thump him him in him belly and it turn to jelly
Dem thump him pon him head but it tough like lead
(sorry I forgot this line)
Dem lick him pon him back and him rib get pack

Mi jus couldn't stan up deh, no doin nothing

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