I am an Irish Englishman
I can sit upon a fence
And watch the world go by me
Don’t need to make defence
We are an Island Nation
Sufficient to ourselves
Except for all our imports
And someone to fill the shelves
We sailed the world in former times
To trade and rule the roost
The globe was almost British
To give our pride a boost
But now our island nation
Feels weary and oppressed
We are pulling up the gang plank
We want to have a rest
We voted then for Brexit
Were told a pack of lies
Posh boys for the exit
Parties while she dies
We are an island nation
La Manche lies in between
The world may have its troubles
But we sail on serene
Trouble is pandemics
Just walk right through the door
And desperate folk in dinghies
Lie dead upon the shore
An island needs a mainland
Even far away
Human connection
Is the only way to play
The rich go round in cruise chips
The poor lie at our door
We need to find each other
To live with less not more
I am an English Irishman
I have the best of both
Living now in Stirling
The jewel of the north
The virtues of our people
We celebrate quite right
But let’s confess our sins as well
And make this dark world bright
Brian Fahy
8 December 2021
Erris Poetry 