Thumbnail illustration by Carole Maillard
Thumbnail illustration by Carole Maillard
I am British
It says British Citizen on my passport
You look at me wanting to ask more
I see the questions raging in you you demand more
‘Cos you don’t see no blue red white in me
You see a big red cross on me, it’s what you stand for
The other flag! I make the flag, huh?
When you rotate the cross by 45 degrees it becomes a cross
A nice big kiss for me, wow thank you
Or unknown, forbidden, to be avoided
Or ‘x marks the spot’ to be stitched on my face
I’ve not been kissed I’ve been bruised
I mean, I can be British
I can talk like this an’ be Bri’ish
Or talk like this and try to fit in?
I watch the TARDIS go spinning
In space, I cheer when England’s winning
In the race to the final
English tunes spinning on my vinyl
With Mum, Top of the Pops repeats
Glorified strawberries and cream but hey it makes a British treat
I am British
I mean, I don’t like a cuppa but I do like fish and chips and that
After all I was born here it’s where my DNA is at
Grandad came here in the 50s it’s where my story started at
Where the rest of us followed like dominoes, just face the facts
So don’t tell me to get outta here and to go back
He brought us over like life to the family
Hard work and strife so we could live happily
Brought new culture to the city
For you to enjoy your pleasures, don’t you feel pity
when you disregard the things we’ve brought to this place?
I don’t look like you, I’m as dark as my shadow
‘British Citizen’ is only de facto
I’m the colour of what’s left on your lungs from tobacco
I stand out like black keys on a piano
I’m as dark as the barrel of a gun that’s short of ammo
When it comes to fighting you, I’m the bullseye of bows and arrows
I can start singing the national anthem, will that make British?
I’ll tell you I’m from elsewhere now that’s where you don’t let me finish
Where are you from?
Erm…think…ethnicity or nationality?
You mean where the brownness of my skin comes from,
Clearly not from here it’s the colour of the soil you step on
Do I walk into your home and tell you where to put your furniture?
You come into home like how a flood takes away the furniture
I’m Brit-ish?
