✈️Free Verse (45)✈️ – Tribes (A Poem For Oldham)

#freeverse

We live in our own worlds, created by who we are,
By what we believe in, our ancestors’ genes
Are replicated in us, their fears,
Their prejudices, so we live in our tribes,
Our enclaves, our districts, our towns and cities.
Fear prevails, fear of the unknown,
Fear of a different religion, or no religion at all!
Agitators whip up this fear to pit neighbours against neighbours.
Thugs set out to ambush people of a different skin colour.

Come on, Oldham, let’s not take that route.
Remember the riots, when fear fuelled hatred?
We’ve been down that road and found a dead end. 
We are more enlightened now, let’s say ‘no’,
Let’s hold out the hand of friendship,
Smile at each other and say “hello, how are you?
We don't have to be insular, we can go outside
Into our parks and green spaces and let nature
Teach us how co-operation is essential to life.

We all live in our own heads, but we can share;
Our thoughts, words, fears and joys, and laughter!
Life is ironic, we should laugh at it’s foibles together.
Discover that under the skin, we are all the same.
We cry the same salty tears, we bleed the same blood.
We have similar experiences, so please, go outside,
Reach out to your neighbour, say ‘hello’ smile, be positive!
Positivity attracts the same. Try it and see.
This will be the legacy we want for our children.
©✍️🦊VixenOfVerse, 202