I didn’t recognise this island called home;
So much had changed since the day we were fooled.
Friends blocked friends; families loathed families –
The belief that our democracy ruled.
Hatred spread along every street and home –
Exposed us to the dark British desires.
Our politicians proved to be useless –
Xenophobes permitted to stoke the fires.
Everyone and nobody an expert –
Politicians and press fed us deceit.
Too many throwbacks to days of empire;
A nation drowning in its own conceit.
Fear consumed me and I felt powerless –
Born European and that’s all I knew.
All our rights and protections slipped away;
With the British, I didn’t know what was true.
Politicians couldn’t make a decision;
Democracy used to gag and oppress.
Our voices silenced by dark interests;
Nationalism allowed to end progress.
We sat back while businesses sailed away –
We watched our coinage melt without blinking.
Consumed by a wish to keep emmets out,
We failed to realise we were shrinking.