keith jeffries

Not all are the same

by keith jeffries

Thursday 9th March 2023 8:39 pm

Not all are the same

In the midst of our good fortune we grudgingly welcome

immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.

In the midst of human flotsam we see a tide of people

in slow motion, souls who abandon their all.

They come to settle on our shores in desperate hope

with manifold reasons and desires.

All represent deprived and tortured humanity

a want of food, a future and freedom to be.

Some are professionals and others highly skilled

Doctors, engineeers, scientists, artists, writers and poets.

They come alongside those with undeveloped potential

earnestly seeking an opportunity to excel.

Those tortured and beaten for their genius, ambition and creativity

yearning to pursue their lives and work.

They bring with them inumerable gifts of real value,

they bring a freedom earned and fought for and not inherited.

Their courage is inspirational, filled with determination

we should honour them as they have chosen us.

Motivated by the need to be free they have sacrificed home, family and friends

to live amongst us and thereby enrich us.

🌷(8)

◄ The Last Journey

The Perennial Jackboot ►

Comments

keith jeffries

Fri 10th Mar 2023 12:21

Thank you to all who have taken the time to read this poem and express their views and appreciation. The poem is not political in nature but was written for those who risk life and limb to reach our shores in a very troubled and dangerous world. I do not support illegal immigration and approve only of those who try to follow correct procedures to enter the UK. Those who intimidate immigrants in hotels and blame immigration on the immigrants themselves would do well to turn their attention on the Government, who thus far have not solved the problem but used it as an electioneering ploy. Channel crossings are highly risky as we know and the traffickers are those who need to be hunted down and prosecuted not the immigrants themselves.
The government is impotent. If we could stop Adolf Hitler what is so difficult about a small group of people hanging on for dear life in a dinghy. If it is blame we are looking for then I think we should look at those in power not those in small boats.
May I draw attention to a Sudanese man, Nasir Elsafi, an artist at present in Ireland as an example from which I drew inspiration to write this poem
Thank you again for your interest.
Keith

Adam Whitworth

Fri 10th Mar 2023 10:23

Well said Kieth

My favourite line is

we should honour them as they have chosen us.

Stephen Gospage

Fri 10th Mar 2023 09:24

Your poem is inspirational, Keith, because it invites us to consider migrants as individuals with hopes, skills and dreams.
Yes, there are problems and not everyone is deserving, but people fleeing persecution should never be turned away.

Uilleam Ó Ceallaigh

Fri 10th Mar 2023 00:26

Thank you Keith.

And bravo Gary Lineker!
Not for the first time, a footballer strikes terror and shame into the hearts of the most powerful and bigotted people in the UK.

His weapon? The truth.
They're terrified of the truth.

They've screwed up the country in every respect; now they're desperate to distract from that...Oh look-a dead cat!

Greg Freeman

Thu 9th Mar 2023 23:24

I agree with Telboy that the Tories see this as their only chance of winning the next election. They actually don't believe it will work, but just want to keep the issue at the forefront of their voters' minds. They are advised by Australian opinion pollsters such as Lynton Crosby. It used to be called 'dog-whistle' politics, but the slogans are out in the open now. Have you noticed that all their slogans have only three words? That's why because they don't believe their voters are capable of understanding more than three words at a time. I would hate to think they are right about that.

Telboy

Thu 9th Mar 2023 21:08

It's a lovely thought Keith and if only the numbers were more acceptable I am sure the the majority of Brits - by nature a welcoming people - would welcome incomers to enhance our society with their many skills. But people get scared by numbers, particularly when we are told the boat immigrants total has gone from 300 to 45,000 in five years. If it continues to rise exponentially how long will it take to get to 1 million? And then 2 million? etc.

The Tories approach is not ideal, but if it works it is probably their only chance of wresting the next general election away from Labour, and this I believe is their prime motivation. For their part Labour have criticised but offered no viable alternative.

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