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English - To be or not to be

A poem about being English by Hameen Markar

 

Photo by Oleg Magni from Pexels


A riposte to 'Can I be English?'

English - To be or not to be

1. I have learnt to talk of the weather

Whenever we meet or get together

I even changed from coffee to tea

To be English is what I want to be!

2. Bragging and boasting are things of the past

That is not the English way, I learnt very fast

Even started gardening and planting trees

To be English is all I want to be!

3. Emotional control and the stiff upper lip

These one must develop and get a grip

Queue jumping is banned almost by decree

To be English I yearn to be!

4. Never talk of money or how much I earn

These are typical English ways I have learnt

Mind your own business and keep your privacy

If English is what you want to be!

5. Rules should be obeyed at all times

When at fault one must pay their fines

Honesty is a must - always the English way

For English is what I want to be!

6. Lived in England for over forty years

Learnt all about the English from my peers

And now I know that English I ought to be

But for a few the skin colour means not to be!

7. So much from the English I have learnt

All my old ways I have burnt

I am now old, content and mature

With my skin colour I feel so very secure!

Hameen Markar


This poem is a counter -blog to Jayantha's blog, found here

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