Before the vote

It is our vote you're taking when you talk about Brexit.
A vote we will lose if we head for the exit.
Our say in what happens across from our waters.
A way to instruct the EU in our matters.

Our country has been through a lot these last days.
A voice has been silenced through hate and through violence.
A good voice that said act together in kindness.
But whose message lives on and is carried by others.

Another returns from the great depths of space.
A result of the coming together of nations.
For none on their own could have built a space station.
And we're in for the ride, due to collaboration.

What happens abroad we feel it all too.
We are more than an island, we live on Earth too.
Orlando or Syria we stand side by side.
When atrocities happen, we feel it inside.

And what does it mean, what has it all taught us?
What world will we leave to our sons and our daughters?
Should countries be distant and look only inward,
or meet round a table to move our world forward

For the way the campaigns have been run is a shock.
The leaders on both sides use fear as their stock.
'In' ought to have listened to the prospectless youth;
out of work and low waged, see no point in the booth.

'Out' stirs up the hatred and stirs up the anger
and blames all our problems on migrants and others.
But it was these politicians raised University fees,
cut public sector funds and bought the NHS to its knees.

It's migrants that've kept afloat National Health.
Who've worked hard for this country to generate wealth.
Our sports men and women who've done us all proud.
Who now hear the language of fear spoke out loud.

For the EU it sets out more rights for our workers.
It keeps cleans our beaches and rivers and waters.
It works for our safety and holidays and health.
And to impoverished cities redistributes wealth.*

And what we put in, we get back tenfold.
It opens up markets where our products get sold.
And this will keep helping small businesses grow,
attracting more foreign investment you know.

And yes it's not perfect and we may disagree.
But there're  ways we can change it, choose a new M.E.P.
For if we bow out no more say shall we have.
And we'll still have to follow their lead hand in glove.

So vote with your head and vote with your heart.
To me they both said the same thing from the start.
If you want to live in a world that's together,
then vote to stay in, whatever the weather.






Athos Athanasiou, 18th  June 2016






* E.g. Manchester and the Greater Manchester European Funding Program.