Linton Kwesi Johnson: Tings An' Times

duped
doped
demoralised
dizzied
dozed
traumatized
blinded by resplendent lite of love
dazzled by di firmament of freedom
im couldn deteck deceit
all wen it kick im in im teet
im couldn cry khorupshon
an believe inna man
im nevvah know bout cleek
im did umble an meek
im nevvah know intrigue
im nevvah inna dat deh league
im nevvah andahstan
dat on di road to sawshalism
yu could buck-up nepotism
im wife dangerous
im bredda tretchero
an im kozn very vicious

duped
doped
demoralised
dizzied
dozed
traumatized
now like a fragile fragment af lite
trapped inna di belly a di daak nite
like a bline man stuicified an dazed
last an alone in a mystical maze
fi days
upan days
upan days
upan days
watch im driffin craus di oweshan of life
widoutn ruddah nar hankah nar sail
fi days
upan days
upan days
upan days
cail im flumm af di tides a di times
if yu like
bus inna di labyrinth af ife
if yu like
duped
doped
demoralised
dizzied
dozed
dozed penalized
ship,wreek gense di sons of di tides a ch times
meditorim pan di bud ale days
face doun pan di gleumin sea shore
not soh certn not soh sure like before
di salt a di sea pan di son inno im eye
an im would qi R houk
if am could cry
di soun of di surge of di sec
harmonize wid di swonnin bamboo trees
an im brains jus a fick
all kine a touts now inno ir
like dem despalfirote days of defiance
wen young rebels did a fite gense oppreshon
won young rebels did a fling floWbom
won dem march wid dem honnolas raised
chuntn freedom chonfin justike chonfin bled on fich
wen nuff crucial mail dicl a blaze
tekkn di struggle to a higholb stage
doped
demoralized
dizzied
dozed
porolized
now wos[bup
weNP
mosh-up
im mise-up
kotch-up
on sit up
wid im hen pun im low
on im bed a heng doun
a konsideh ow young mbels get ole ow
some sell dem soul
some get lef out in di cole
some get elevate
some get depreciate
some fun miggle clans
some a gamble race hams
some a try fi live clean
some get vicious on mean
some plaque wid dout
some still a R# it out
won on two a fife di struggle in dem bed
lead di lecdohless inno dem bed
win di revolueshon in dem bed
oil a fun prime ministch in dem bed
duped
doped
demoralized
dizzied
dozed
traumatized
now im wombiffin pondobrin konsidolfinn
posin oil kine a riddle to imself like
now dot Wi come out o, di won foam dern
on timer on fowchune been some c wi fren
now dot wi got wi council fifint
on wi dis on wi dot
wi colloh nee vee on oil di mod con
now dot wi create some space
on nuft a wi own a fickle place
now dot wi got M mp on wi black ip
blacks pan di radio
blocks pan fee vee
wi si on wi load an wi mbe
a figot wi figot or a it dot ?
do wi need onnofidoh muses
fi neck wi crops di sea
an A gwoon weak cmos
oonu free ocou free
as wi entch di twerorfirst century
or wi long peas dot deh era dot dela stage
on is each an owywon who hoffi rise now
fi meet di downin of a diffinpont age ?
int woz wandohdn jordalfirm konsidelinn
wen im hear 9 vice like di win seh
a jus tings on times
wandohs on sines
but noh get mystic
be realistic
on im hein a nex vice like di sea seh
sometimes di pugent owedoh of decoy
signal sch bran new lib defi pan di way