Room enough for all
Tread carefully, Britain
hateful words are being spoken
hearts and windows broken
Tongues of clever spite
are stoking rancid fears within our communal blood
Divide and Rule Britannia!
It’s one of the oldest tricks in the grubby little political book
Don’t be afraid to love someone you’ve never met
You may have noticed
tourists often do
it sometimes rains a lot in Britain in June
that’s why a million shades and songs of green
serenade this pleasant land
and common kindness blooms
along ancient ways and upon higgledy-piggledy allotment plots
even within the cracks between the city pavement slabs
and upon highrise kitchen window sills
flowers open tenderly to the rising morning sun
Be kind to strangers, Britain
lean into the tensions
of your heart and mind
and breathe in
and breathe out
breathe in
breathe out
for we all once were strangers in a strange and foreign land
Listen: violence always, always lurks
inside the shadows and the shrill dog whistles
of prejudice and scapegoating and blame
but justice, she rolls on like a river
and righteousness like a never-failing stream
I wouldn't wipe my arse
on some of our daily papers
There are so many toxins within the printer’s ink
Shake and shake falsehood from every statement that you read or hear
Where is that politician’s heart?
Mute the volume
and watch with discernment
what is really emanating from their mouths and eyes and minds
Speak and act only from the highest values of your tradition
Expect the same of others
Be open to honest criticism
Listen to what lies behind anger and fear and frustration
Serve and protect the vulnerable
According to season, plant pear trees and rose bushes and beetroot and yams
Be humble as well as proud
Don’t be afraid of difference, Britain
Difference makes the world go round and round
These rugged isles hold a rugged history and a rugged heart
There’s room enough for all of us
upon these welcoming rocks
There’s room enough for all
Tread carefully, Britain
hateful words are being spoken
hearts and windows broken
Tongues of clever spite
are stoking rancid fears within our communal blood
Divide and Rule Britannia!
It’s one of the oldest tricks in the grubby little political book
Don’t be afraid to love someone you’ve never met
You may have noticed
tourists often do
it sometimes rains a lot in Britain in June
that’s why a million shades and songs of green
serenade this pleasant land
and common kindness blooms
along ancient ways and upon higgledy-piggledy allotment plots
even within the cracks between the city pavement slabs
and upon highrise kitchen window sills
flowers open tenderly to the rising morning sun
Be kind to strangers, Britain
lean into the tensions
of your heart and mind
and breathe in
and breathe out
breathe in
breathe out
for we all once were strangers in a strange and foreign land
Listen: violence always, always lurks
inside the shadows and the shrill dog whistles
of prejudice and scapegoating and blame
but justice, she rolls on like a river
and righteousness like a never-failing stream
I wouldn't wipe my arse
on some of our daily papers
There are so many toxins within the printer’s ink
Shake and shake falsehood from every statement that you read or hear
Where is that politician’s heart?
Mute the volume
and watch with discernment
what is really emanating from their mouths and eyes and minds
Speak and act only from the highest values of your tradition
Expect the same of others
Be open to honest criticism
Listen to what lies behind anger and fear and frustration
Serve and protect the vulnerable
According to season, plant pear trees and rose bushes and beetroot and yams
Be humble as well as proud
Don’t be afraid of difference, Britain
Difference makes the world go round and round
These rugged isles hold a rugged history and a rugged heart
There’s room enough for all of us
upon these welcoming rocks
There’s room enough for all