| Original | Standard English translation / Traduzione in inglese standard... |
| SONNY'S LETTAH (ANTI-SUS POEM) | SONNY'S LETTER |
| | |
| From Brixton Prison, Jebb Avenue London S.W. 2 Inglan | From Brixton Prison, Jebb Avenue London S.W. 2 England |
| | |
| Dear mama | Dear Mama, |
| good day | good day |
| I hope that when these few lines reach you they may | I hope that when these few lines reach you they may |
| find you in the best of health | find you in the best of health |
| I doun know how to tell ya dis | I don't know how to tell you this |
| for I did mek a solemn promise | for I did make a solemn promise |
| to tek care a lickle Jim | to take care of little Jim |
| an try mi bes fi look out fi him | and try my best to look out for him |
| | |
| mama, I really did try mi bes | Mama, I really did try my best |
| but none a di less | but nonetheless |
| sorry fi tell ya seh, poor lickle Jim get arres | sorry to tell you so, poor little Jim got arrested |
| it was de miggle a di rush hour | it was in the middle of the rush hour |
| hevrybody jus a hustle and a bustle | everybody just hustling and bustling |
| to go home fi dem evenin shower | to go home for their evening shower |
| mi an Jim stan up waitin pon a bus | me and Jim stood waiting for a bus |
| not causin no fuss | not causing any fuss |
| | |
| when all of a sudden a police van pull up | when all of a sudden a police van pulled up |
| out jump tree policemen | out jumped three policemen |
| de whole a dem carryin baton | all of them carrying batons |
| dem walk straight up to me and Jim | they walked straight up to me and Jim |
| one a dem hold on to Jim | one of them held on to Jim |
| seh dem tekin him in | said they were taking him in |
| Jim tell him fi leggo a him | Jim told him to let go of him |
| for him nah do nutt'n | for he had not done anything |
| and 'im nah t'ief, not even a but'n | and he was no thief, not even a button |
| Jim start to wriggle | Jim started to wriggle |
| de police start to giggle | the police started to giggle |
| | |
| mama, mek I tell you wa dem do to Jim? | Mama, may I tell you what they did to Jim? |
| mek I tell you wa dem do to 'im? | may I tell you what they did to him? |
| | |
| Dem thump him him in him belly and it turn to jelly | They thumped him in his belly and it turned to jelly |
| Dem lick 'im pon 'im back and 'im rib get pop | They beat him on his back and his rib broke |
| Dem thump him pon him head but it tough like lead | They thumped him on his head but it's tough like lead |
| Dem kick 'im in 'im seed and it started to bleed | They kicked him in his seat and it started to bleed |
| | |
| Mama, I jus couldn't stan up deh, nah do nuttin' | Mama, I just couldn't stand there, doing nothing |
| | |
| So mi jook one in him eye and him started fi cry | So I jugged one in the eye and he started to cry |
| me thump him pon him mout and him started fi shout | I thumped him on his mouth and he started to shout |
| me kick him pon him shin so him started fi spin | I kicked him on his shin so he started to spin |
| me hit him pon him chin an him drop pon a bin | I hit him on his chin and he dropped upon a bin |
| - an crash, an dead | - and crash, and dead |
| | |
| More policman come dung | More policemen came down |
| dem beat me to the grung | they beat me to the ground |
| dem charge Jim fi sus | they charged Jim for sus1 |
| dem charge mi fi murdah | they charged me for murder |
| | |
| mama, doan fret | Mama, don't fret |
| doan get depress an downhearted | don't get depressed and downhearted |
| be of good courage | be of good courage |
| till I hear from you | until I hear from you |
| I remain | I remain |
| Your son, | Your son, |
| Sonny | Sonny. |
