355 thoughts on “Refugees”

1. 

   Hello Brian,
   We are a Year 6 class in Gateshead who are learning about refugees in our English lessons. We have just read your POWERFUL poem ‘refugees’ and wanted to tell you our feelings about it. At first, we were outraged at YOU because of the words you wrote about refugees BUT when we read it in reverse we were amazed by the change in perspective. We feel strongly that we want the world to change their perspective about refugees into a positive, compassionate way of thinking- just like you did.
   Things that triggered us: ‘cut throats and thieves’ How dare you call the refugees thieves!
   ‘go back to where they came from’ Would you like it if someone said this to you!
   Things that made us feel hopeful:
   ‘you are welcome here’ thank you for making everyone feel included.
   ‘these haggard faces could belong to you or me’ thank you for making us feel grateful for the peace and safety we have in our lives.
   Thank you for making refugees feel recognised and part of our homes and lives.
   • How long did it take you to write this? We are in awe of the reverso!
   • What made you want to write this poem on this topic?
   • Why do you never show your face!?
   • What is your cat called?

   1. 

      Thank you so much to you and all your students for taking a look at my poem. Sorry if it shocked you all at first!
      It didn’t take me very long to write at all – a couple of hours, perhaps. I don’t know how, though, as I’ve tried to write other poems with that forwards / backwards structure since and they’ve taken me AGES.
      I wrote about this topic in response to seeing these two very different reactions on social media to a news story about refugees losing their lives (in the Mediterranean). I wanted to capture these two responses but end with a positive statement of support for refugees and what they go through simply to have a better existence for themselves.
      I don’t show my face because I’m quite shy. Nowadays I go out and read poems to people so I can’t hide quite as much!
      And finally, my cat was called Buttons. Sadly, she died a couple of years ago but was my constant companion when I was writing. In fact, I think she was actually sat on my lap when I wrote ‘Refugees’!

2. 

   Hi Brian
   We hope you are having a good day. We are a Year 5/6 class in the North East of England who have just spent a week of English lesson studying your poem, Refugees. We find it amazing how you have captured the two viewpoints of people towards refugees coming into our country. We were shocked at first as our teacher stopped halfway through reading and asked us for our thoughts. One child in our class said, “He’s an idiot!” Our opinion quickly changed when we realised it was a reverso poem. After reading it forwards and backwards, we were amazed. We think you are very talented and an inspiration.
   We are in the process of making a video where we are performing the poem. We have thought carefully about how we deliver the lines differently so the two viewpoints are clear. When our video is finished, we will send you a link.
   We have a few questions for you…
   – Was there a time when no-one knew that you wrote as Brian Bilston? Even your family and friends?
   – Will you write anymore poems like this?
   – How old were you when you started to write poetry?
   – Do you have a favourite poem that you have written and one that you have read?
   Thanks for inspiring us, keep writing!

   1. 

      Thanks, Deborah. Glad to hear your students have been getting a lot out of the poem and that they no longer think I’m an idiot.

      In answer to your questions, then yes, for quite some time (2 or 3 years) those around me didn’t know that I was Brian Bilston. In fact, I suspect I have friends who still don’t know.

      I’ve written a couple of backwardsy / forwardsy poems (technical term) since. One was about the environment. They’re not as well known as ‘Refugees’. They’re hard to write so not sure I’ll be penning any more!

      I didn’t really start writing poetry until I was in my thirties. I did enjoy reading poetry (particularly funny poems) at school, though.

      A favourite poem that I’ve written? That’s a hard question. I’m not sure I do, although I’m very proud of ‘Refugees’ to find it gets used in schools and so on. In terms of poems that I’ve read, I really love ‘The Lanyard’ by Billy Collins – it’s funny and poignant, which is a winning combination in my mind.

      Thanks so much for your questions!

3. 

   Thank you for a very powerful and timeless piecework. This evoked so many emotions and all led to tears. Tears of empathy, anger, but most of all tears of joy in being acknowledged for being a person and not an undesirable.