This is my latest book of poetry. This poem is not in it but it gives you an idea of the type of work I produce.
To be British
I am not a patriot. I despise nationalism. I do not wish to fight or die for my country.
I am a man. I love my freedom and the philosophy by which I live – the right of all men and women to be free and live in a spirit of harmony, love and equality.
That is a cause worth fighting for.
I am a pacifist and a citizen of the world.
I believe in the rights of all living creatures and their right to live undisturbed by man.
I love nature.
I am never short of a cause.
But last night I was mining a vein of emotion as to what it was to be British and whether I had any pride in that label.
I felt a sense of affinity with the spirit that has typified my countrymen in the past. I believe it is there in my culture. It is not be chance that we have created so many adventurers, explorers and dissenters. We have had our men and women willing to stand in the face of torture and death and proclaim their truth. We have had our citizens who have opposed evil in all its forms, stood against religious tyranny, unjust wars, social injustice, misogyny, racism, intolerance and the rule of the strong and mighty.
They have reached out to those that were different and shown the hand of empathy and compassion.
That is Britishness for me.
To be British
Within the heart of all
There beats a spirit
Of dissention,
A dash of adventure,
A rash of compassion,
And a desire for discovery.
That spirit is real –
To fight for fair play –
The willingness to stand
For tolerance,
Freedom
And the rights of man.
Opher 11.12.2015
British or English – you feel British more?
Yes – British. I’ve one Grandma Irish, One from the North of England, One Grandfather Scottish and the other a southern Cockney. All I needed was the Welsh. I do not like patriotism or nationalism. I like to think I am human first. I prefer to think globally. But if I think of a culture I think British. The British have stood for a lot of positive things. I don’t hide from the nasty stuff though.
Well I have Irish blood, both parents from Southern Ireland, Boys have some Greek in them David’s Grandfather was from Salonika. I was born within the Sound of Bow Bells makes me a cockney, only by birth mother was sent to a well known maternity home at the time she had lost a child the year before. I do not have a cockney/east end accent – some used to say I spoke like a teacher whatever that meant, I didn’t have the brains though. Jonathan is very big on his Irish heritage, David well he is a true Brit so proud to be so.
I loved Ireland and the Irish people were so warm and friendly – even to us Brits.
I am so pleased to hear that, it is where my soul is. There are areas where they are not so friendly but on the whole they are great, I miss my Auntie Hannie so much she was the one I gained all the love from, she was just so Irish and warm, kettle always on and cake, biscuits and soda bread (me) then my Grandad and his singing all day long – stop such happy memories makes me cry.
Take all the good things into the future with you. That’s how we should be.
I am trying so hard to do that, forget all the bad things I let them rule my life too long – only good memories that’s ok and lots of good times and happy memories to come. I already feel more calm and content than I have ever felt.
That’s the spirit. There’s lots to live for – maximise it!
Reblogged this on Opher's World and commented:
What it is to be British.
Namaste Opher 🙂
Plenty of food for thought here in your impassioned poem 🙂 One might hope there’ll be many who share common ground with you.
It is our ideologies, philosophies, and personal dispositions that ultimately differentiate us. Whilst no-one should ever be forced to accept another’s opinion blindly or without discernment on their part, I see nothing wrong in asking another to be considerate, mindful, non-judgemental of alternative perspectives on life. A middle way will always be required but it is not a sacrifice or compromise of personal values if harmony, love and peace are common objectives best serving us all.
Namaste 🙂
DN
I agree Dewin. It is applying the principles to practical solutions and dealing with human attributes of greed, selfishness, violence and laziness where things become difficult.
Namaste Opher 🙂
Agreed, the selfish gene must be removed. Life doesn’t have to be about ‘survival of the fittest’…we don’t have to remain subservient to reptilian mind-sets even if it does exist inside us. People are able to choose, even in the heat of the moment, we are able to make choices.
To assist an individuals personal endeavours for self-improvement, we need positive thinking and highly ‘creative’ leadership ever hungry for invention, ever able to refine, polish and proceed forwards with progressive ideas: individuals who will demonstrate by their actions not just their rhetoric qualities of trust, honesty, personal integrity, and efficaciousness: their influence on the minds of the people cannot be understated. But such qualities must be shared by all world leaders if a ‘united world’ is to evolve, if our ‘one species’ is to advance. Tradition must yield – not wholly surrender – to new ideas, new modes of thinking, and be ever-ready to adapt and adopt different approaches more quickly if policies do not work and solutions are still required. The people must always come first – even if that means being represented at all stages of major policy decisions.
We must again find worthwhileness in life, in living, and not focus our attention, or intentions, on arbitrarily conceived value. The true wealth of nations exists in the hearts and minds of its people, not its bank vaults and treasuries.
Namaste 🙂
DN
Dewin – The true wealth of nations exists in the hearts and minds of its people, not its bank vaults and treasuries.
Never have truer words been spoken!
Thank you Opher 🙂
Namaste 🙂
DN