The Council of The Elders
Yvonne Howard Bunt
The Elders all do gather
In the here and now and then
The council of the Elders
Liberty, parchment, pen.
It was in the aftermath
Of World War Two,
A war-torn Britain,
Harsh, cold and blue.
Opened its doors
To the Windrush group
War veteran, Commonwealth Citizens
Among the troop.
Answering the call
From the promised land
Your homeland country needs you
Are you willing to take a stand.
Come, come, your mother country needs you
You’ll find a welcome here
Your education system is akin to ours
You’ll fit in well, no fear.
Help us to build this nation
From the decimation of war
Come, honour your beloved country
We need, we implore.
Departing on the Windrush
For King and country same
To a distant land known as home
They sailed to unknown gain.
The Windrush found no welcome
In the homeland they believed they knew
Faced discrimination and rejection
The promise proved untrue.
They lived in poor cluster neighbourhoods
In Cardiff and Tiger Bay
Among Somali and Yemini People
And other settlers who paved the way.
And as is oft repeated
Throughout time down the track
The Windrush Group are pioneers
Who put us on the map.
That they may teach others
From the wealth of experience, they have gained
In building blocks for others
Through their struggles, they’ve attained.
So dearest Windrush Elders
Sing your stories clear and loud
That your voices rise to uplift us all
Above the noisy crowd.
Add to the bank of knowledge,
Pray your truth. Do tell
On this 75th anniversary
Let’s fill and swell the well.
Time is littered with oral histories
Backstories from worlds afar.
They are part of our national landscape
The chronicle of who and where we are.
Let’s refine and build the new narrative
In this timeless arterial wall
For the pioneers who came before us
And the loved ones who stood tall.
Let’s build a bridge for everyone
And positively embrace
A shared sense of vision,
for the human race.
The footprint of our neighbour
Is entwined within our life
And so many who’ve passed before us
In struggle and in strife.
We are all kindred spirits
In the quest for life’s chance
Let’s share a common future
Let’s partake and dare to dance.