'BRITISH VALUES' POEMS, BY YEAR 7

I recently returned to Plashet School in Newham, London, where I was lucky enough to spend three years as poet-in-residence, between 2014 and and 2017. I spent the day working with classes of Year 7 girls, where the theme was to explore ideas connected with 'British Identity'. Plashet is notable in having a vast majority of students from an Asian background, most of whom speak more than one language. We looked at Benjamin Zephaniah's poem 'The British', which is written in the form of a recipe. With this in mind, I encouraged the students to think about their own ideas as to what constitutes 'Britishness'. I encouraged them, in fact, to cast their nets wider and to think about their identity in a much broader sense. I am excited to share four fantastic poems that were produced during my workshops at Plashet.

I Come From by Eerum (Year 7)

I come from chocolate cookies.

I come from apple tarts.

I come from endless cakes and milkshakes

and this is just the start.

I come from a place called Britain,

sweet like a fruit but spicy like a chilli.

I come from a place where the flavours can vary

and each bite will give you a unique feeling.

I come from a place where it’s cold.

I come from a place where it’s hot.

I come from a place where it rains all day

and looks like it will never stop!

Britain is like a piece of cake,

it’s easy to make with the right ingredients.

With the same amount of heat and the same amount of cold

and you’ve made a tremendous cake.

What’s the flavour, you ask?

it’s not chocolate,

not vanilla, not strawberry.

It’s British.

Recipe by Rahab (Year 7)

Take a dose of care

and leave it to settle.

Then add tolerance to the mix.

Take a lick.

Still a little bitter?

Add lots of democracy.

Don’t forget

a right to a good education -

a vital ingredient

for the perfect recipe of life.

Mix the law in there.

Nearly there.

Then take a blend of sweet equality,

combine with a mix of religion

and a large dose of community.

The perfect recipe for life.

My Britain by Kahloon (Year 7)

Britain is salt and pepper

with a pinch of Asian spices

Britain is fluffy

with solid rocks at the corners

Britain is a light spread of unity and equality

Britain is the feeling of a merry-go-round

Britain is a flag of a mansion

Britain is where uniqueness and individuality is popular

Britain is where Brexit takes over

gentle flowing streams

Britain is Theresa May farting [!!! - ed.] on paperwork

Britain is the scent of shepherd’s pie with mustard

Britain is hope with a bright red cherry on top

Britain Is… by Nadira (Year 7)

Britain is my past,

Britain is my future

Britain is my present,

where I live as a peasant.

Britain is like a fruit mix

where you have a combination of cultures,

Britain is a world

where love and hate is spread

Britain has people known as ‘friends’,

who betray, hate and hurt my feelings.

Such ‘friends’ are a stab in the back,

They don’t have a heart,

They lack,

If they did have a heart

They would come back.

Britain makes me feel unloved,

I don’t feel adored,

My friends don’t love me

If they did they wouldn’t dump me,

I don’t know who I am any more

Britain doesn’t seem like my destiny or future,

Britain was my past.