Windrush Man Poem by Elayne Ogbeta

Windrush Man

My father was a Windrush man,
He came to England in nineteen sixty-four,
Landed at Southampton's port,
A brand new world to explore.

He journeyed on the ship named ‘The Escania, '
Sixteen days across the Atlantic Ocean,
Parting from family and friends with tears,
Heart brimming with full emotion.

His older brother met him there,
On cold Southampton's wharf,
Gave him a thick winter coat,
With gloves and woolly scarf.

When he arrived in Preston,
He couldn't believe his eyes,
Houses lined up in rows,
And people stayed inside.

He remembered sweet Jamaica,
His homeland left behind,
Where sunshine kissed your ears,
And laughter intertwined.

My father is a Windrush man,
He floated here on hope and dream,
With skyscraper opportunities,
Promises like an open stream.

But it was a struggle to be accepted,
In the community and among peers,
With determination and hard work,
He conquered all his fears.

He married and had five children,
Paid off his mortgage and debts,
Sent money to his family abroad,
And lived without regrets.

My father is a Windrush man,
In his heart, two heritages entwine,
With roots both Jamaican and English,
A wealth of cultures and stories for all time.

POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
A nostalgic poem about my father coming to England from the Caribbean during the Windrush generation.
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Elayne Ogbeta

Elayne Ogbeta

Preston
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