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A Wigan poet has seen her new work calling for more tolerance in the wake of growing divisions around hotels housing asylum seekers go viral, receiving tens of thousands of views overnight and hundreds of messages of support.
Louise Fazackerley is now set to perform her heartfelt poem ‘I Want My Country Back’ at Morecambe Poetry Festival (12-14 September). With work rooted in word-witchery and the working class, Louise is renowned for exploring the synergy between poetry and movement in a way that makes the ugly beautiful and the mundane fantastical.
Louise said: “I am astounded at the reaction my poem is having. So many hundreds of messages of support and hope from people who want a peaceful and tolerant country. And messages that break your heart from people who are terrified by the flag epidemic.”
Thousands of people have viewed her poem across social platforms with supportive comments coming from as far afield as Germany, India and Canada.
I want my country back
My milk-white daughter, Irish blood, shaved her head.
She looks like Sinead O’ Connor said her dad, the British soldier.
She looks like something from ‘This is England’ says my mate from Blackpool.
She’s home from uni with a girl she’s dating who is Scottish and brown
and with all the sudden Union Jacks and St Georges Crosses around
- the front face of fascism,
I’m too scared to let the girls walk the canal into town.
I want my country back.
I want to show off the green heart and pleasant lands of my home.
But I can’t. Coz of you.
I’m not scared of fellas fishing or alcoholics on the cut or thin, foreign boys,
I’m worried about you, my neighbours and old school friends.
The direction you’re travelling leads us to a dead end.
Fast forward this film, you’re driving us round the bend.
It’s a car crash and you, you’re throwing stones at the ambulance.
First you throw stones at brown and black,
then the gays, the disabled and then the women.
I want my country back.
Kelly’s always worked in care-homes or pubs, big gob, big heart.
God knows what she’s seen in those underfunded lives
but now she’s throwing Facebook darts, hating drowning boys in boats.
I hope her son doesn’t get caught up in the violence she’s making.
Michael lost his mum when he was 11. She was a good Catholic.
I wonder what she’d think if she saw him vote.
Reform. UKIP. BNP. The latest name. Manipulative scrotes.
And I never expected owt from land-owning Tories
but now even Labour has failed me.
I want my country back
I want my country back.
So I’ve got the paint out.
I’m turning roundabouts into white poppies of peace.
I’m turning roundabouts into red poppies or remembrance.
My family didn’t die defending the UK from Nazi control
to be defeated from within. Have a minute.
We all know it’s not just about the colour of skins.
Bad apples grow in shades of red and pinks.
Could we turn the volume down on our anger, please.
Have a cup of tea of tolerance.
I want my country back
My white daughter, Irish blood, shaved her head.
She looks she’s just out of Auschwitz.
Is she the immigrant now?
When are you going to ask me to go back?
Back where? Back to Scotland? Back to Ireland.
Back to the Viking invaders?
Back to Africa, where all people descend from.
Come on. Step away from your phones
You’re isolated, get into the pub or a community hub.
Play rugby or footie or bingo and put something back into your area.
If you’ve got time to paint roundabouts and shag flags you’ve time to help.
I want my country back.
Louise added: “I'll be proud to perform 'I Want My Country Back' at Morecambe Poetry Festival and connect with ordinary, like-minded people.”
Festival founder Matt Panesh said: “It’s a fantastic poem, poetry often goes viral, that’s how previous guests Donna Ashworth and Brian Bilston developed their audiences. Poetry powers through the crap and can make serious social statements, connections and meanings, and in this case a plea for tolerance, which is a much needed counterpoint to the divisive angry commentary seen across social media!
“Louise has been on my want list for years, but the dates have never worked, so I'm overjoyed to have her join the line up which is already stacked full of the country's foremost poets.”
The poet has previously supported John Cooper Clarke, and works with schools and festivals across the UK with the National Literacy Trust, The Poetry Society and The Lowry.
For Morecambe Poetry Festival, Louise is working with local primary schoolchildren to create a fun flash mob poem that everyone will be invited to join in.
Louise added: “The poem will be inspired by whatever problem the children want to solve. Children are natural creative creatures with excellent problem solving abilities. When they write for pleasure they unlock a lifetime of good mental health.”
The children will also be powering the poetry pedal pop up outside Morecambe Library, reading out their poems on Saturday 13 September 10am-12pm, followed by a pedal powered open mic open to all.
Louise joins a stacked line up of the UK’s leading poets at is fast becoming one of the country’s most ambitious and well-regarded poetry festivals.
Michael Rosen, Clare Ferguson Walker, Henry Normal, Nigel Planer, John Hegley, Jan Brierton, Robin Ince, Luke Wright, Su Andi and Tony Harrison’s film poems headline along with many more on the bill.
To buy a weekend pass for guaranteed access to all the shows for just £65 plus booking fee, CLICK HERE
