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Island of Strangers

Roger Robinson's poetic response to Keir Starmer's warning of Britain becoming an "island of strangers"

by Roger Robinson

29th May 2025

    Island of Strangers 

    By Roger Robinson

     

    This is an Island of Strangers,

    each one

    with their own small pile of stones.

     

    They don’t speak to each other.

    They don’t need to.

    The intention is shared,

    unspoken.

     

    The pile is always there.

    Each stone

    smoothly worn.

    Familiar in the hand.

     

    They don’t always throw.

    Sometimes they just stand,

    watching.

     

    Sometimes silence

    is their cruellest signal.

    But the stones

    are not decorative.

     

    They are ready.

    And the Black body,

    the one in the centre,

    (always in the centre)

    must read the air,

     

    must anticipate

    who will lift first.

    Who will pretend

    not to understand

    what they’re holding.

     

    On this island,

    the strangers do not touch.

    But together,

    they‘ll take aim.

     

    Roger Robinson

    Roger Robinson

    Roger Robinson is an award-winning writer and performer from Trinidad now living in Britain.

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