Land Without Hope or Glory

For the last night of the poms!

Land Without Hope or Glory

Land without hope or glory – now no longer free

Ravaged and plundered – with the utmost glee

Wider still and wider – inequality set

Tory Lords and Masters – to make it wider yet.

Sunak who broke your spirit – can make your poorer yet!

Yes, Tories who made you poorer – can make you poorer yet!

Land without hope or glory – now no longer free

How shall we deplore thee, who are born of thee

Wider still and wider – inequality set

The ERG who robbed you – shall rob you greater yet

Yes, the Tories who robbed you – shall rob you greater yet!

Opher – 9.3.2023

Well I look at the state of the nation with its broken public services, zero hours and an enslaved nation of workers slaving away to make ends meet in this cost of living crisis.

I look at Johnson, the hundreds of Tory Donors, the VIP lane and Tory MPs walking away to their tax havens in the Caymans, pocketing millions for doing nothing. The huge bonuses, tax loopholes, cash for questions, Russian donors, betting scandal, PPE scandals, Lady Mone and Hancock’s landlord, Greenswill and revolving doors – the corruption and greed is built in!

I look at the impoverishment of the country and the poverty of its citizens and thought that I needed to rework a few jingoistic songs to make them fit the times we live in.

I look at the brainwashing, the propaganda pushed out by the media and I thought this would do as the Tory Party Anthem.

Well, we have to have something better that God Save the bloody Queen, something rousing, something that reflects the strength of equality and diversity, something that encompasses the beauty of nature and the spirit of our people.

Britain is a hybrid nation and all the richer for that. It’s time we exalted nature and embraced our differences.

I don’t like nationalism or patriotism; I like togetherness and shared values. Britain is such a wonderful place. Its people have striven for equality and freedom for centuries. Social justice and an end to racism are worthy causes. We have such beauty and wonderful nature. Surely that all needs to be there in any anthem??

Trevor more or less dared me. This is the first attempt. Perhaps we can work on it???

A New Anthem

Equality! Diversity!

My Britain, our love of thee!

From Green rolling hill,

Down to your rippling sea,

From mountain peak,

To rustling tree,

You are always part of me.

Standing tall for fairness

Down through the centuries,

With love and tolerance

Through adversity.

My country,

That is our love of thee.

From Asia and Africa

They called out your name.

For justice and peace,

To you they all came.

My country, we demanded –

Put right the shame!

Equality! Diversity!

It is the quality;

That hybrid spirit

In Fraternity,

That reaches out to me!

From your purple moorland,

To your forests green,

The ponds, streams and rivers

Your beauty stands supreme.

Home to many creatures,

You nurture in your arms,

The bounty of nature

Unlocked within your charms.

Equality! Diversity!

It is the quality;

That hybrid spirit in fraternity,

That reaches out to me!

But you are only as strong

As the people you enfold.

By standing up for justice

Is what makes us all so bold!

So people, in one spirit,

In solidarity,

One nation, one people,

With strength in unity.

Equality! Diversity!

It is the quality;

That hybrid spirit in fraternity,

That reaches out to me!

Opher – 8.6.2020 (for Trevor)

A new national anthem