Come On In (Refugees Are Welcome Here) Poem by David Clinch

Come On In (Refugees Are Welcome Here)



Come on in.
Come on in.
Come on in and sit you down.

Come on in and welcome to your story.
Come on in and welcome to my home.
Come on in and welcome to your story.
Come on in and share it all with mine.

And you know you're more than welcome,
And we know you're here to stay.
We'll have to fight, together, for acceptance,
We'll have to fight together all the way.
We'll have to fight, together, for acceptance.
Nothing less will do, we say.

Come on in and join your fellow workers.
Come on in if it's learning that you seek.
Come on in, we need your contribution.
Come on in with hope and dignity.

And you know you have a refuge,
And you've suffered too much pain.
There's no time to live in fear and hatred,
We'll have to fight together all the way.
We'll have to fight, together, for acceptance.
Come on in why don't you stay?

And you know you're more than welcome.
And we know you're here to stay.
We'll have to fight, together, for acceptance,
‘Cos nothing less, nothing less will do, we say.

Come on in.

Friday, October 3, 2014
Topic(s) of this poem: friend
POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
Goethe is quoted as saying: "Tolerance should really only be a passing attitude: it should lead to appreciation. To tolerate is to offend."

Acceptance is what is needed rather than tolerance which has a more than patronising whiff about it.
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Achill Lad 04 October 2014

I've just read your poem and also your reply to Anand Brown. Nigel Farage and his UKIP are gaining momentum. The biggest threat that Farage poses is that the Tory and Labour parties will swing further to the right to combat the threat of UKIP. Whilst Farage is discriminating against immigrants the Tories are discriminating against the old, the sick, the underpriviliged. It's the same ploy that Hitler used in the run up to the second world war, he disciminated against the Jews. If the economic situation is floundering the politicians want the ordinary man to blame anyone rather than the political ideology of the day. Divide and rule, and rule by fear. I agree with you that deserving refugees and asylum seekers should be welcome. The sad fact is that immigrants are not being vetted, to any degree. Convicted murderers, convicted rapists etc are being allowed in to this country. As you must be aware it has been extremely difficult for youngsters here to get an apprentiship sine the Thatcher era. Instead of training our own we poach skills from other poorer nations. be it builing trades, nurses, doctors or whatever. It saves our country from investing it's own money. The people of Britain need to wake up to what the Establishment is actually up to. Read Chavs written by Owen Jones.

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David Clinch 03 October 2014

In his ‘Maxims and Reflections’ Goethe says, ‘Tolerance should only ever be transitional: it must lead to acceptance, to merely tolerate is to insult.’

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Anand Brown 03 October 2014

I could see where you were aiming to go with this poem but it just lacked strong and evokative imagery and emotive language. The sing-songy element to the poem doesnt reaaly work here. I would love to read a shorter version of this poem, im sure it'll be more impactful.

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