#9 - PROJECT - REFUGEES

 "WE REFUGEE" - Benjamin Zephaniah

 

   The idea of becoming a refugee, allows any human being to reflect on different experiences undergone in life. Deep feelings and perhaps a few glimmers of hope may arise on those who deal with this thought.  Benjamin Zephaniah finds a wise way to make the readers conscious about the need anyone might have to flee to a foreign country to escape danger or persecution. Thus, he dares use the powerful and inclusive term “WE”.  Notions such as prejudice, disrespect and prohibition are clearly portrayed in this poem as well as longing for one´s homeland and sadness for lack of brotherhood.  Each stanza describes not only these author´s feelings but also his intention of including all humankind in this context, in spite of having written his piece of work as a personal experience.

REFUGEES - Brian Bilston

                 

 In Brian Bilston´s “Refugees”, a challenging way of stating the poem can be well appreciated. He dares show a harsh perspective of society. As a starting point, the author sounds contemptuous, since he describes people as scroungers, terrorists, cut-throats...He even emphasizes the idea of forcing them to leave the land and go back to where they have come from. Fascist imagery can be perceived in most of the verses, they perfectly fit current life. In a xenophobic way, people may recall a famous president claiming: “Build a wall to keep them out”. 

    In a second view, the author introduces a wise twist which invites the readers to focus on a different direction, an opposite meaning. To be able to understand the world in another way, phrases are set as encouraging reasons to be empathetic. Simple words like “share”, “build”, “welcome” as well as “help”, resignify the message of the poem, fostering values mankind should put into practice.