And That

By Raymond Antrobus

After seeing a childhood friend outside a chicken shop in Dalston

“Chicken wings / and that
Boss man / salt in them / and that

Don’t assault man / give man a nap-
Kin / Big man / no steroid / and that

Dark times / new street lights / and that
How’s man? / I’m getting by / and that

Still / boy dem / harass
Not beefin’ / not tagged / man / still trapped

Cycle man / I peddle / and that
On road / new pavements / leveled / and that

Crackney changed / still / stay dwelling / and that
Paradise moves / but I got to land grab

We E8 / East man / ain’t got to adapt
Our Kingdom / got no land to hand back

Man / chat breeze / chat
Trade winds / and that

You out ends / got good job / legit / and that?
Locked off man dem / stay plotting / and that

Rah, Ray / flower shorts? / You hipster / in that
Man gone / Vegan? / no chicken wings / and that”

Source: Poetry (May 2020)