Inglan is a Bitch.

London: Race Today Publications,, 1980. First edition, first impression, of this verse collection by the reggae poet and recording artist widely known as LKJ. Johnson's dub-poetry performances consist of his recitation of his own verse over beats often produced in collaboration with the renowned producer Dennis Bovell. The titular poem is one of his most-performed pieces. Johnson's unmistakably political poems relate his experiences as an African-Caribbean in Britain, including vivid stories of Brixton street life, Black working-class politics, and police brutality. While still in school, he helped to organize a poetry workshop for the British Black Panthers, later stating that "writing was a political act and poetry was a cultural weapon" (quoted in Wroe). This anticipated his involvement in the Race Today collective, the publisher of this work and of a magazine that played an important role in the battle for racial justice in the 1970s and 80s. Octavo, pp. 32. Original white wire-stitched wrappers printed with photographic brick wall illustration, front wrapper lettered in red and rear in black. Photographic half-tone portrait of the author and a full-page line drawing. Spine a little rubbed, small price sticker on rear wrapper, else fresh. A near-fine copy. "I Did My Own Thing", The Guardian interview of Linton Kwesi Johnson by Nicholas Wroe, 8 March 2008.