Read from Top to Bottom

They have no need of our help
So do not tell me
These haggard faces could belong to you or me
Should life have dealt a different hand
We need to see them for who they really are
Chancers and scroungers
Layabouts and loungers
With bombs up their sleeves
Cut-throats and thieves
They are not
Welcome here
We should make them
Go back to where they came from
They cannot
Share our food
Share our homes
Share our countries
Instead let us
Build a wall to keep them out
It is not okay to say
These are people just like us
A place should only belong to those who are born there
Do not be so stupid to think that
The world can be looked at another way

Now read from Bottom to Top
The world can be looked at another way
Do not be so stupid to think that
A place should only belong to those who are born there
These are people just like us
It is not okay to say
Build a wall to keep them out
Instead let us
Share our countries
Share our homes
Share our food
They cannot
Go back to where they came from
We should make them
Welcome here
They are not
Cut-throats and thieves
With bombs up their sleeves
Layabouts and loungers
Chancers and scroungers
We need to see them for who they really are
Should life have dealt a different hand
These haggard faces could belong to you or me
So do not tell me
They have no need of our help

Brian Bilston

COMING OVER HERE, TAKING OUR MARMALADE

Immigration lawyer, Colin Yeo, writes in The Big Issue about Paddington Bear’s options as an illegal immigrant, having stowed away on a ship bound for London.

If he claims asylum, Paddington’s first problem will be trying to  convince the authorities he really is a child. Given that immigration officers often take into account facial hair, Paddington has a real problem here. He dreams of bringing his Aunt Lucy to London but if Paddington is an unaccompanied minor, the UK forbids child refugees being joined by their parents or carers.