Inheritance
Mother England surrogated me
And O her white breast was sweet
Honey on my tongue muting misery
While banana trash tied my feet
She stripped me naked in her bed
No culture clothe me from winter’s cold
Her language like a saber in my head
O mother England ships were bold
I was the darkie holding the flag
On the native shores of my own heart
Knowing well history wears the cloth to rag
For mother I did my patriotic part
And when the sugar season was done
And the black mint tea in the cup
Said I lag behind the fifth son
I convulsed, and identity hiccupped
Who is my father, then I asked
And why is my skin not pure as yours
Why are you rich, when I am tasked
Why only pity for hunger and sores?
Hush child, don’t listen to America
Them ******* are ungrateful, boy
They will go from school to Attica
Democracy is too precious to destroy
But I did not ask about another land
I wanted my promise to keep in my hand
Because I saw the waves gnawing sand
And knew I am dead if I had no plan.
So around the fireside of leaky huts
Kit and kin we dreamt and went
To Liverpool from our Stony Guts
And subtle too was our intent.
For mother stored their her stolen wealth
Repatriated from the mangled shores
Yes we can work but like Anancy’s stealth
We will castle our rights and keep the stores.
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