SHEKU

I dreamt I saw Sheku last night

Alive as you and me.
Says I "But Shek, you're certain dead"

“I never died" said he.
 

"In Hayfield Shek by god” says I

Him standing by my bed.
They beat n bound and broke you Shek

Says Shek "But I ain't dead".

"The coppers piled upon you Shek

They squashed you Shek” says I.
"Takes more than wind to kill a man"

Says Shek "I didn't die"

Says I “They surely were big dudes

Some 43 stone weight”.

“An iron will like this” he says

“They can't asphyxiate”

“You can't destroy, you cant destroy

An Iron will like this

You can't destroy, you cant destroy

An Iron will like this”

And standing there as big as life

And smiling with his eyes.
Says Shek "What they forgot to kill

Went on to organize”.

"Sheku ain't dead" he says to me

“Sheku ain't never died”
Where black men are confined n cuffed

Sheku is at their side

When there's a wrongun on the force

The shameful black and blue

At courts and trials across the land

'tis there you'll find Sheku

Stamp out the shame

Stamp out the shame

Find the iron will

Stamp out the shame

Stamp out the shame

Find the iron will

I dreamt I saw Sheku last night

Alive as you and me
Says I "But Shek, you're certain dead"

"I never died" said he

© MOTH 2016

ADAPTED TRAD

Sheku Bayoh was allegedly pounced upon by the boys in blue in  Kirkcaldy, Scotland in May 2015. He allegedly died from asphyxiation as he could not breathe under a pile of coppers.

This song is adapted from “Joe Hill”.

The song depicts an encounter with Shek in a dream where Shek attempts to convince the dreamer that he is not dead. The dreamer contemplates the situation and subsequently realises that this is a metaphorical statement. Despite the loss of Sheku there is hope. Hope that if justice prevails then other black men in modern-day Britain will not suffer the same fate.

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