Windrush Day - 22nd June

THE WINDRUSH
by Tom Patterson

We sat out on that evening, our thoughts drawn to the dawn
The Windrush would be leaving, bound for England, come the dawn
Through a haze of smoke and rum, he trawled his memory
Told some long forgotten tales, smiled then said to me
"You'll be alright there, you'll be alright there
You know there's jobs to fill they need your skill
You'll be alright there"

And so we left Jamaica, bade farewell to our roots
We came ashore at Tilbury in our hats and Sunday suits
Driven by a vision of pavements lined with gold
Freedom, wealth and plenty, the dream that we'd been sold
"You'll be alright there etc

As winter came a-creeping, I found myself alone
I missed the Caribbean sun, my family, friends back home
We had to beg from room to room, "No coloureds wanted here"
The mighty empire I'd admired had given birth to fear
"You'll be alright there etc

Can anyone imagine just how I felt inside?
The anger and frustration that I forced myself to hide
I worked for just a pittance compared to other folks
Forced to sit and listen to endless racist jokes
"You'll be alright there etc

The days have turned to decades since I came across the sea
I'm told my city soon will have a Black majority
Multi-racial to it's core but a slave of history
Privilege and poverty remain for all to see.
"You'll be alright there etc

I couldn't make the link work but the song can be found on Youtube at Tom Patterson Folksinger.

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TheWindrush by Tom Patterson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQwvf_Coeec