Poems for tomorrow’s children

Poems inspired by our Tomorrow’s Children Will Say film.

If you’d like to write your own, use our creative guide to reimagining education and send it to us at repair-ed@education.ox.ac.uk.

Culture Culture

by Kofi Fox

‘Preserve your culture’,
As though we are sealing it in tupperware
To keep it from expiring.

‘Let it out’ we scream,
Let it shine – let it breathe – let it live
As we want to live.

I cannot hate those who assimilate,
But what did my Grandma mean
When she told my barefoot Father playing in the street
‘You can’t do that here – we are in England now’?

Ah Colonialism sir
and your child Neo-colonialism,
I have not figured you out yet – But I will.

Like Mr Marley said,
although this is no bad card that I draw,
yuh a go tired fi see wi face!