Alien feet
Memo from: William Blake
To: Jerusalem
“And did those
feet …”
I know
I’ve heard it
thousands of times;
massed choirs
chorused voices
proudly
sang it myself in school
shivers down the spine,
hearts bulged by being
chosen
as different
on this land
eons ago
He walked upon
sandal footed
a belief
we embraced
loved
seized it as ours
Jerusalem!
cradle of our
holy civilisation
wholly alien
dark skinned
middle eastern
wandered Africa
mendicant foreigner.
We sing of Him
in joy
gifted
honoured
in the name of
Holy Ghost
son of
cymbals crash
in bands
bald northern folk
ruddy faced, fat
southerners
complacent
hear them sing
uplifted
full throated
foreign feet
green and pleasant
land
upon our shores
sure of the welcome
a seeker
of truth
spiritual enlightenment
peace
found
a haven from
thoughts that would
kill you
knowing
you returned
and were
crucified
(temporarily)
stranger
alien in our
green and pleasant
land
In thrall we followed the foreigner
Declared our allegiance
Monarchs
Nobles
Peoples
Built edifices to His memory
We christened children
Baptised the virtuous
Priests preached morality
Forgiveness
Self control
Stoicism
In the face of adversity
Mercator became bright red
(or was it hunting pink?)
Stained the globe with
The foreigner’s blood message
His words washed clean
Brains
Thoughts
Foretold trade
Commerce
Domination
In sandals
Dirt between His toes
In flowing garbs
We persuaded
Exploited
Became rich
Prospered
An empire
The largest seen
Our foreigner had been good
Ensured our little offshore European
Islands
Conquered the world
Justifiable proud
The foreigner’s words became our religion
Our world has never stopped moving, migrating, trading, sharing, miscegenating, exchanging language, copying. Our nation has seen its language, a stew of Norse, German, French, Anglo-Saxon, become the global lingua franca.
We have spawned our peoples across the globe, raised cities, named countries. Our maritime has united, allied with traders and nations to become commerce’s life blood. Symbiotically others have added cultural, social, scientific and economic riches to these islands.
Every region, city and town has attracted foreigners contributing to our commonweal. These, and more, have become our heritage in our tiny patch of earth and rock DNA. This we have freely given. Freely embraced their diversities.
“Nowt’ so queer as folk …” runs the expression. “Nowt’ so queer as to where folk come from” might now be added with scientific hindsight.
A little cash, a spit of saliva, and a tube stuffed in a pre-paid padded envelop is all that stood between me from illusions of English purity to discovering my ethnic and geographic origins. And what a wonderful surprise to become acquainted with all the locations and peoples who have contributed and added to my unique identity. And, of course, of my daughter and grandson.
What a Euro mix! Russian, Iberian, Eastern European, Scandinavian, British and Irish. I now walk prouder in our green and pleasant land. A new foreigner with roots, exploring migration routes.
- Ireland 37%
- Great Britain 31%
- Scandinavia 18%
- Europe West 5%
- Iberian Peninsula 7%
- Europe East 2%
- Finland/Northwest Russia < 1%
