Singing by the river in Penryn on Thursday mornings is always a joy and today the views were especially glorious.
View across from the Zed Shed
Looking up the river, for Paddy
I was looking for poems about refugees this evening and remembered one by the very talented Brian Bilston. Read it down and then start at the bottom and read up – and weep.
REFUGEES
They have no need of our help
So do not tell me
These haggard faces could belong to you or me
Should life have dealt a different hand
We need to see them for who they really are
Chancers and scroungers
Layabouts and loungers
With bombs up their sleeves
Cut-throats and thieves
They are not
Welcome here
We should make them
Go back to where they came from
They cannot
Share our food
Share our homes
Share our countries
Instead let us
Build a wall to keep them out
It is not okay to say
These are people just like us
A place should only belong to those who are born there
Do not be so stupid to think that
The world can be looked at another way
(now read from bottom to top)
nrhatch
December 16, 2022 at 2:23 pm
Brilliant poem!
mybeautfulthings
December 16, 2022 at 4:52 pm
So clever and unexpected – and so appropriate right now as more desperate people try to come to the UK and are treated appallingly by our heartless government.
John Roberts
December 15, 2022 at 7:57 pm
What an amazing poem, Sally. So thought provoking and such a brilliant way with words. Wow. Thank you again for introducing me to Brian Bilston.
mybeautfulthings
December 16, 2022 at 4:50 pm
What a writer he is! He can make us laugh, gasp and cry – such a talent. I’m hoping for his book to be under the tree with my name on it. 🙂