I love this country, but the union jack leaves me cold.

quote by Timothy Garton Ash
Added by Lucian Velea
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A Nation Celebrates

Boats take to the Thames to honour the Queen:
The most craft, at any one time, the river has seen.
On to the trains, thousands of people cram.
On the roads, there are massive traffic jams.

People pack in to pubs to consume a few beers:
There is much merriment, and calls of ‘cheers! '
People are attending parties in their streets:
Long tables are laden with tasty treats to eat.

In towns, shops windows are patriotically dressed.
Across the nation, people put on their Sunday best.
Everywhere that you look is brightly festooned
With flags, bunting, streamers, and party balloons.

Of Jubilee memorabilia, there is certainly no lack:
Just about every item possible bears the Union Jack.
There are Jubilee jelly moulds and garden gnomes:
Just about everything that you'd need for your home.

[...] Read more

poem by Angela Wybrow
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Lord Robert's Triumphal Entry into Pretoria

'Twas in the year of 1900, and on the 5th of June,
Lord Roberts entered Pretoria in the afternoon;
His triumphal entry was magnificent to see,
The British Army marching behind him fearlessly.

With their beautiful banners unfurled to the breeze,
But the scene didn't the Boers please;
And they immediately made some show of fight,
But at the charge of the bayonet they were put to flight.

The troops, by the people, were received with loud cheers,
While many of them through joy shed joyous tears;
Because Lord Roberts from bondage had set them free,
Which made them dance and sing with glee.

Lord Roberts' march into Pretoria was inspiring to see,
It is reckoned one of the greatest achievements in our military history;
Because the Boers were watching him in front and behind,
But he scattered them like chaff before the wind.

[...] Read more

poem by William Topaz McGonagall
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Respect.

Fallen soldiers returning back,
Draped in the'Union Jack'.
Silence on the tarmac,
As the coffins disembark.
Wootton Bassett, through the fallen are driven,
Every resident all respect given.
Lowered flags another painful session,
Of a'regular'procession.
family and friends, flowers thrown,
Amid wailing, some are placed.
Silent grief and tears shown,
As their reality is faced.

15/08/09

poem by Guy Lipmore
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Another Hit And Run

Union Jack is back with a hole in his head
He's gettin' badly burned every time
He's laughin' at me and dancin' on my sneakers
And his sixties songs are blowin' up my speakers

I say you got no respect
Respect for authority
You're just playing your dirty tricks
And then come cryin' to me

Hit and run

song performed by Def Leppard from High 'N' Dry
Added by Lucian Velea
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Episcopal Harvest Home

To dinner table all do march
Through evergreen triumphal arch ;
On top the Union Jack it floats
On each side sheaves of wheat and oats.

Great pumpkins and big ears of corn
They do this rural arch adorn ;
We are reminded now 'tis fall,
And boys enjoy game of foot-ball.

With joy at night each one did gaze At the mighty bonfires blaze ;
The tree leaves shone like silver bright,
The lanterns, too, were pleasing sight.

poem by James McIntyre
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Truganini

Theres a road train going nowhere
Roads are cut, lines are down
Well be staying at the roma bar
Till that monsoon passes on
The backbone of this countrys broken
The land is cracked and the land is sore
Farmers are hanging on by their fingertips
We cursed and stumbled across that shore
I hear much support for the monarchy
I hear the union jacks to remain
I see namatjira in custody
I see truganinis in chains
And the world it wont stand still
Blue collar work it dont get you nowhere
You just go round and round in debt
Somebodys got you on that treadmill, mate
And I hope youre not beaten yet
I hear much support for the monarchy
I see the union jack in flames, let it burn
I see namatjira with dignity

[...] Read more

song performed by Midnight Oil
Added by Lucian Velea
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The Brave Page Boys

Air -- "The Fierce Discharge"

In the late rebellion war,
Grand Rapids did send out
As brave and noble volunteers
As ever went down south:
Among them were the brave Page boys --
Five brothers there were in all;
They enlisted and went down south,
To obey their country's call.

John S. Page was the eldest son --
He went down south afar,
And enlisted in the Mechanics,
And served his time in the war.
Fernando Page the second son;
Served in the Infantry;
He was wounded, lost both his feet
On duty at Yorktown siege.

[...] Read more

poem by Julia A Moore
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The Anglo Boer war

When that wimp of a Englishman
called Cecil John Rhodes
decided that he wanted gold,
that the diamonds in his pockets
was not enough

he wanted to see that British Union Jack flutter,
over the whole of Southern Africa
to his queen he went
to enchant her patriotic soul
to claim the Orange Free State
and Transvaal Republics as British territories

to sent three thousand
Christian farmers to their deaths,
to burn farmsteads down to the ground,
to throw salt in the lands,
to slaughter every animal there,

to murder twenty thousand women

[...] Read more

poem by Gert Strydom
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Mucky Fingers

I know you think you deserve an explanation on the meaning of life
But what you think that you heard slipped away at the back of your mind
You get your mucky fingers burnt
You get your truth or your lies you have learnt
And all your plastic believers they leave us and they won't return
Walk on
And when you look in the mirror and your tying all your buttons and bows
And as you face your disease you can squeeze into the emperor's clothes
You found your gun in a paperbag
You get your history from the union jack
And all your brothers and sisters have gone and they wont come back
Failed the life in the city
All the fonies that roam at night
When I've gone yeah you look like you missed me
So come along with me, don't ask why
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright
It's alright

song performed by Oasis
Added by Lucian Velea
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Freedom's Fool

To hell with Government I say;
I'm sick of all the piddling pack.
I'd like to scram, get clean away,
And never, nevermore come back.
With heart of hope I long to go
To some lost island of the sea,
And there get drunk with joy to know
No one on earth is over me.

There will be none to say me nay,
So from my lexicon I can
Obliterate the word "obey",
And mock the meddling laws of man.
The laws of Nature and of God
Are good enough for guys like me,
Who scorn to kiss the scarlet rod
Of office and authority.

No Stars and Stripes nor Union Jack,
Nor tri-colour nor crimson rag

[...] Read more

poem by Robert William Service
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Another Hit n Run

Union jack is back with a hole in his head
Hes gettin badly burned every time
Hes laughin at me and dancin on my sneakers
And his sixties songs are blowin up my speakers
I say you got no respect
Respect for authority
Youre just playing your dirty tricks
And then come cryin to me
Hit and run, hit and run
Its just a hit and run
Another hit and run
The bulldog lost his bite and his breath has gone bad
And the whole damn world is really laughin mad
Hit it!!
Oh bring it down
Oh you bring it down
I say you aint got no respect
I say you aint got no respect
No you aint got no respect
And you hit me when Im down

[...] Read more

song performed by Def Leppard
Added by Lucian Velea
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Freedom Train (Part One)

The modest homes of the Borough of Queens
Are sturdy in their contrast to high Manhattan
Across which I saw drifting
The ashen smoke of the fallen towers
From this outpost of the city, a week after 'nine-eleven'
 
The tallest flagpole you could have imagined
Stands military-straight above a score of tollbooths
And the twelve lane thoroughfare of cars
Makes me feel like a visitor from a previous time -
But it's still that old union flag, however high it stands
 
Not a seat is empty on this sleek metal tube
That runs on its barely-subsidised tracks
Through a tiny stretch of the vast coastline
Stealing a peek at the brave Atlantic
 
A child concentrated on video games
Lends no mind to what her father sees. Around them,
Many tongues, ancestries, the faiths -

[...] Read more

poem by Frank Bana
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War Dance

Theres an epidemic
Stirring passions in young hearts
Even the old campaigners
Have got it really bad
Well we aint seen nothing like it
Since coronation day
But when the street parties sound
Im going underground
To keep the rabid hounds at bay
Oh my my -- this war dance
A patriotic romance
No we aint seen nothing like it
Since coronation day
But when the tickatape flies
And blood is on the rise
You know its got you in its sway
You got yourself a war dance
Theres a cheap sensation
Keeping fleet street wide awake
Everyone wants a slice of

[...] Read more

song performed by Xtc
Added by Lucian Velea
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Get Off My Cloud

originally by Rolling Stones
I live in an apartment on the ninety ninth foor of my block
And I sit at home lookin' out the window imaginin' the world has stopped
Then in flies a guy that's all dressed up like a Union Jack
He says I've won five pounds if I have this kind ogf detergent pack
I said, hey you get off my cloud, hey you get off my cloud
Hey you get off my cloud, don't hang around
'Cause two's a crowd on my cloud baby
The telephone is ringin', I say hi it's me, who's there on the line
A voice says hi hullo how are you, well I guess I'm doing fine
He says it's three a.m. and there's too much noise, don't you people ever want
To go bed, just 'cause you feel so good, so you have to drive me out of my head
I was sick and tired, fed up with this and decided to take a drive downtown
It was so very quiet and peaceful, there was nobody, not a soul around
I laid myself out, I was so tired and I started to dream
In the mornin' the parkin' tickets were just like flags stuck on my wind screen

song performed by Sheryl Crow
Added by Lucian Velea
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Sea Ballad - From

“HOW many?” said our good Captain.
“Twenty sail and more.”
We were homeward bound,
Scudding in a gale with our jib towards the Nore.
Right athwart our tack,
The foe came thick and black,
Like Hell-birds and foul weather—you might count them by the score.

The Betsy Jane did slack
To see the game in view.
They knew the Union-Jack,
And the tyrant’s flag we knew!
Our Captain shouted “Clear the decks!” and the Bo’sun’s whistle blew.

Then our gallant Captain,
With his hand he seiz’d the wheel,
And pointed with his stump to the middle of the foe.
“Hurray, lads, in we go!”
(You should hear the British cheer,
Fore and aft.)

[...] Read more

poem by Sydney Thompson Dobell
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Omnibus

Climb up here beside me
We can ride and find a friend unfound
Put your foot upon the laughing gas
And drive your grin around
Omnibus, take all of us
All of us, take omnibus
Aint nothing in the world like a white skinned girl
Make your union jack and make your flag unfurl
You cant say youve ridden
till youve given up your heart and seat
Man that lady clippie rip your ticket
Make your trip complete
Omnibus, take all of us
All of us, take omnibus
Aint nothing in the world like a black skinned girl
Make your shakespeare hard and make your oyster pearl
Dont let horses pass you by
Take a run and leap on
Pull the blinkers from your eyes
Before big bus has gone

[...] Read more

song performed by Xtc
Added by Lucian Velea
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The Wedding of Prince William & Kate Midddleton

The wedding is happening, the invites all sent
Alfonso is having a knees-up in Kent
Dozens are strutting their stuff in the park
Vergers are cartwheeling. Oh what a lark!
St. Andrews is hosting a picnic with tea
There are Union Jack cup cakes from York to Dundee

Folk are ooing and ah-ing at Wills and Kate kissing
Grannies are dabbing their eyes at the blessing
Everyone gawks at the bride’s wedding dress
And laughs at the guests who’ve tried hard to impress
Wearing hats with goat horns, so exalted they soar
Hats so wide it’s a wonder they fit in the door

Some teeter on heels, on the tips of their toes
The flowergirls, all flounces in buttons and bows,
Look bored and bewildered. The family black sheep
Is there in the fold. Jessie’s all of a heap
When the anthem rings out and she spies Elton John
Sitting there in the abbey with princess and don

[...] Read more

poem by Sheena Blackhall
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No Power On Earth

The British Empire has a flag that flies throughout the World
And no power on earth can pull it down
It stands for peace and liberty where e’er our flag’s unfurled
But no power on earth can pull it down
We still can sing our good old song “Britannia Rules the Waves’
It’s just as true today that Britons never shall be slaves
The Union Jack still flies on high in spite of finnish knaves
‘Cos no power on earth can pull it down.

No power on earth can pull it down
That’s no foolish idle boast or brag
England, Ireland and gallant little Wales
Are united round our dear old flag
Scotland sends their Highlanders and proud of them we are
As soldiers they have gained world famed renown
The Scots are finely built - he’s the man that wears the kilt
And no power on earth can pull it down.

The man is sure to rise in life that sits down on a tack
But no power on earth can pull him down

[...] Read more

poem by Billy Bennett
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Sunday Bloody Sunday

Well it was sunday bloody sunday
When they shot the people there
The cries of thirteen martyrs
Filled the free derry air
Is there any one amongst you
Dare to blame it on the kids?
Not a soldier boy was bleeding
When they nailed the coffin lids!
Sunday bloody sunday
Bloody sundays the day!
You claim to be majority
Well you know that its a lie
Youre really a minority
On this sweet emerald isle
When stormont bans our marches
Theyve got a lot to learn
Internment is no answer
Its those mothers turn to burn!
Sunday bloody sunday
Bloody sundays the day!

[...] Read more

song performed by Lennon John
Added by Lucian Velea
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