Creative responses
Mattie’s Letter
Mary mi dear, mi just get Mattie letter
Say she and James a settle ina Inglan
A Joyce big boy did see the advertisement
say the Motherland needed we
I wuda did go wid dem if a cuda did find the passage
An smady need fi tan a yaad fi help mama
She say she training to become a nurse
And James driving the buses
She mek it all sound so nice
But Maas Ferdy boy, Las, up deh too
An him paint a whole different picture
Him say him couldn’t find a place fi live
The people put up sign say
No dogs, No blacks, no Irish
What a ting though Mary
When somady call you fi come help them fix up dem place
Then tun round tell you dat you and dog a kwaabs
But you know if a so dem treat dem own, mi nuh know what mi expect
Las say him and some man rent a place from a man
And tek shift fi sleep ina di bed
One set sleep when di other gone a work.
Mary gal, you nuh see mi escape a crosses
Mary, you member how di 24th a May
All a wi dress like puss back foot fi go put dem pon Empire Windrush
Look how dem did look nice
Look how dem did sharp
How di hell King George couldn’t recognise say dem British?
All Albert Brown who did dis fight fi King and Country
How the heck him no British no more?
How di British people no love him an celebrate him as dem hero?
But Mary Missis, di way dem a grumble it no look like dem want to build back the empire
But mi glad fi Mattie and James
Dem seem to be doing well
Cause she send a little something fi mi and mama ina di letter
Since she never say a word bout all dem suffering that Las facing
I just think is because Pus and Daag nuh have the same luck
If she say dem happy mi nah say a thing
While she nuh mek Ingland bruk har back
Or have har a sleep wid daag
Mi nah tell Mama not a word a wa mi hear
But all in all Mary, mi glad mi stay cause Doris party wuda miss mi
And a wuda never meet Percy and him handsome self.
Natalie Fagan-Brown
