This island, surrounded by the sea,
Betraying those who call it home;
Its very existence is a reminder to thee,
That you are never truly alone.
The waves crash hard upon the shore,
A fierce reminder of the island’s might;
While the people on it struggle more,
To survive and stand up to their plight.
The island, sparkling in the sun’s light,
A beautiful façade hiding pain;
Its citizens fighting with all their might,
To be heard and seen again.
The very soil on which it stands,
Tainted by the greed of power and wealth;
People breaking, their hearts understand,
Battling for their own mental health.
This island may be paradise to some,
But to those betrayed by its own existence,
It’s a place where the moral compass is gone,
A place without any humanistic essence.
This island may betray its people,
But the people stand tall and strong;
Their voices rise up like a steeple,
Demanding human rights all day long.
I’m just wondering where all the money’s gone.
Steve Halstead.
The Yorkshire Poet & Friends 