Page 151 - Herioter 2020

Theme for

English 1L
(Generation
Lockdown)

The teacher said,
This week I want you to write
A poem just based on you.
Reflect on Langston Hughes’ –
To help you get it right.
But how can I reflect on his works?
I am already home and have been for nine
weeks now.
I cannot walk across the Meadows to our
school,
The Other own fault for breeding like rabbits.’ And In the heart of Edinburgh.
yet people still have the audacity to
I sit in the kitchen at home,
Pandemic: say that Britain isn’t a racist country. Tethered to my computer,
On May 25, 2020, another innocent Opening and completing tasks.
I look out of the window and see my
Racism black man, George Floyd, was killed garden bathed in sunshine,
at the hands of law enforcement.
Since then, protests have been held It seems so close and blissful,
But labelled a distraction from my work.
It would be an under exaggeration to in the US and in other countries in an
say that America is outraged by yet effort to stop the discrimination and I am fourteen.
another death of an unarmed, innocent marginalisation of POC everywhere. I like sport and I am always hungry.
As Langston might have said, I am growing
black man. Media bias in the UK was then like Topsy — so fast my legs hurt.
It would be an under exaggeration to questioned when news outlets I play the piano.
say that black people and POC are livid published articles about Black Lives I like listening to music from Juice Wrld and
with rage and emotion, after being Matter protestors breaking social Chopin.
I like hanging out with my friends, playing,
treated unfairly by law enforcement. distancing guidelines, but ignored the mucking about, chatting.
hordes of mainly white people who
It would be an under exaggeration to were attending the beach on sunny I like being outdoors, when there’s no wind
say that women and POC are livid with and the sun is beating down.
rage and emotion, after primarily being days in May. And at dusk in summer, when the cool
wafts of wind can’t seem to penetrate the
the victims of COVID-19 and not The Black Lives Matter movement is humid air,
receiving adequate medical treatment. growing stronger and people are trying And the scents of every flower fill the night.
to speak up and inform the world, not I am longing for the chance to see my
It would be an under exaggeration to just about the marginalisation of POC,
say how vile and abhorrent it is for but also on the history and culture friends again,
And to get a haircut.
POC to be called racist and offensive I guess you must be too,
language by white people, and have to that racism has influenced. There are Because however different we are – you,
many ways to help: sign petitions; give
constantly remain calm and controlled money to black businesses; improve the teacher, me, the student –
when dealing with this in case education about race matters; read We are both locked in,
something ‘goes wrong’. Both worrying about friends and family,
books by black authors; share relevant Both struggling with virtual learning,
Racism is prevalent everywhere in our posts on social media accounts to Both waiting to find out when the world
society and needs to stop. make people aware of injustice; take will start again,

Western countries such as the UK and part in protests and use your white That’s true!
the US were built on the colonisation privilege (if you have any) to help So neither of us smiles in Microsoft teams
of Middle Eastern and African others. meetings,
Me in your white room, you in my kitchen.
countries. The British invaded India in With these steps, we have the chance And although this is my page, it is also
1608, imported Indian inventions and of changing the world and making it so partly yours,
products, like tea, spices, jewels and that racism is a battle that our children Because we are both human.
textiles, and caused the destruction of do not have to fight. We have the This is my page for English 1L.
several kingdoms within the country. Jonny Mure (S2)
Winston Churchill once said: ‘I hate chance to change the world so that no Jonny wrote Theme for English 1L in
Indians. They are a beastly people with one is discriminated by race. response to Langston Hughes’ Theme for
a beastly religion. The famine was their Atharva Patwardhan (S6) English B.

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