Welcome, aspiring literary explorers, to a journey into the profound and challenging world of poetry. Today, the focus is on a truly remarkable and thought-provoking piece: Brian Bilston’s “Refugees.” This poem is not merely a collection of words; it is a masterclass in challenging perception and using poetic craft to deliver a powerful message. Prepare to delve into its layers, uncover its brilliant structure, and understand why it resonates so deeply in contemporary discussions about humanity and displacement.
Let us begin by experiencing the poem in its entirety:
They have no need of our help
So do not tell me
These haggard faces could belong to you or me
Should life have dealt a different hand
We need to see them for who they really are
Chancers and scroungers
Layabouts and loungers
With bombs up their sleeves
Cut-throats and thieves
They are not
Welcome here
We should make them
Go back to where they came from
They cannot
Share our food
Share our homes
Share our countries
Instead let us
Build a wall to keep them out
It is not okay to say
These are people just like us
A place should only belong to those who are born there
Do not be so stupid to think that
The world can be looked at another way
Understanding “Refugees”: A Summary and Central Idea
Brian Bilston’s “Refugees” gained widespread attention for its striking and unsettling presentation of attitudes towards displaced people. Upon its initial reading, the poem appears to voice a harsh, exclusionary, and dehumanizing perspective on refugees. It begins by asserting that refugees require no assistance and proceeds to label them with derogatory terms such as “chancers and scroungers” and “cut-throats and thieves.” The speaker advocates for their exclusion, suggesting they should “Go back to where they came from” and that society should “Build a wall to keep them out.” The poem seemingly culminates in a dismissal of shared humanity, stating, “It is not okay to say / These are people just like us.”
However, the true genius and central idea of “Refugees” lie in its brilliant structural twist. The poem is designed to be read both forwards and then, crucially, backwards from a specific point. When read in reverse, the poem transforms its message entirely, revealing a powerful plea for empathy, inclusion, and the recognition of shared humanity. This masterful use of form allows the poem to expose the prejudice inherent in anti-refugee rhetoric while simultaneously offering a counter-narrative of compassion. The central idea is a profound critique of xenophobia and a call to challenge preconceived notions about those seeking refuge, demonstrating how easily language can be manipulated to either demonize or humanize.
Exploring the Themes in “Refugees”
The poem “Refugees” delves into several critical themes that resonate deeply within contemporary society. Understanding these themes is essential to grasping the poem’s full impact.
The Dehumanization of “The Other”
A primary theme is the process by which groups of people are stripped of their humanity, making it easier to justify their exclusion or mistreatment. The poem vividly illustrates this through the speaker’s initial descriptions of refugees:
Chancers and scroungers
Layabouts and loungers
With bombs up their sleeves
Cut-throats and thieves
These labels reduce individuals to stereotypes, erasing their personal stories, struggles, and inherent worth. The poem challenges readers to recognize this dehumanizing language and its dangerous implications.
Xenophobia and Exclusion
The fear and hatred of foreigners or strangers, known as xenophobia, is a driving force in the poem’s initial narrative. The speaker’s insistence on building barriers and denying resources highlights this theme:
Share our food
Share our homes
Share our countries
Instead let us
Build a wall to keep them out
This reflects a common sentiment in anti-immigrant discourse, where resources are viewed as finite and belonging exclusively to those born within a nation’s borders.
Empathy and Shared Humanity
While initially appearing absent, the theme of empathy and shared humanity emerges powerfully when the poem is read in reverse. The lines that initially dismiss connection become a profound affirmation:
These are people just like us
This reversal underscores the idea that despite differences in circumstance or origin, all individuals share fundamental human experiences and deserve compassion. The poem argues that recognizing this shared humanity is crucial for a just society.
The Power of Perspective and Language
Perhaps the most overarching theme is the transformative power of perspective and the way language shapes our understanding of the world. The poem’s structural twist demonstrates how the same words, when recontextualized, can convey diametrically opposed messages. It urges readers to critically examine the narratives they encounter and to consider alternative viewpoints, as suggested by the final lines when read in reverse:
The world can be looked at another way
This theme encourages intellectual curiosity and a willingness to challenge one’s own biases.
The Poet’s Toolkit: Literary and Poetic Devices in “Refugees”
Brian Bilston masterfully employs a range of literary and poetic devices to construct “Refugees,” making it not only a powerful statement but also a brilliant piece of craftsmanship. The poem’s effectiveness largely stems from its innovative use of structure and language.
Structural Irony and Reversal
The most significant device in “Refugees” is its ingenious use of structural irony and reversal. The poem is designed to be read in two directions. When read from top to bottom, it presents a xenophobic, anti-refugee stance. However, when read from the bottom upwards, starting from a specific line, the meaning completely flips, transforming into a message of empathy and welcome. This device is not explicitly stated in the poem but is its defining characteristic, making the reader an active participant in uncovering its true message. This forces a confrontation with how easily prejudice can be constructed and deconstructed through language.
Diction and Tone
The poem’s diction, or word choice, is deliberately simple and direct, mirroring the often blunt and unnuanced language used in prejudiced discourse. Words like “chancers,” “scroungers,” “cut-throats,” and “thieves” are stark and accusatory. This simple diction contributes to the initial tone, which is harsh, dismissive, and confrontational. However, the simplicity also allows for the powerful reversal, as these same words gain new context and impact when read differently, revealing an underlying tone of biting satire and profound empathy.
Imagery
Bilston uses vivid, albeit often negative, imagery to evoke strong emotional responses. Phrases like “haggard faces” initially aim to distance the reader, while “bombs up their sleeves” and “cut-throats and thieves” create a sense of fear and danger. The image of a “wall to keep them out” is particularly potent, symbolizing physical and emotional barriers. When the poem is reversed, these images are recontextualized, highlighting the absurdity and cruelty of such portrayals.
Anaphora and Repetition
The repeated phrase “Share our…” functions as a powerful example of anaphora, the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses. In the forward reading, it emphasizes what is being denied to refugees:
They cannot
Share our food
Share our homes
Share our countries
This repetition underscores the theme of exclusion and ownership. When read in reverse, these lines become a powerful call for generosity and inclusion, demonstrating the versatility of this rhetorical device.
Enjambment
Enjambment, the continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break without a pause, is used throughout the poem to create a sense of natural speech and to connect ideas. Observe these lines:
It is not okay to say
These are people just like us
In the forward reading, the enjambment links the dismissal of shared humanity directly to the preceding negative statements. In the reverse reading, it creates a seamless flow that builds towards the poem’s compassionate conclusion, demonstrating how connected ideas can be reinterpreted based on context.
Symbolism
The “wall” is a potent symbol in the poem, representing not only physical barriers but also metaphorical divisions, fear, and the desire to separate “us” from “them.” The derogatory labels applied to refugees, such as “chancers and scroungers,” also function symbolically, representing the broader tendency to demonize and dehumanize displaced populations. The poem challenges the reader to look beyond these symbols of division and recognize the shared humanity they obscure.
Free Verse and Stanza Structure
The poem is written in free verse, meaning it does not adhere to a strict rhyme scheme or meter. This gives it a conversational, almost declarative quality, making the speaker’s initial prejudiced statements feel stark and unadorned. The poem is also presented as a single, unbroken stanza. This continuous block of text, without traditional breaks, contributes to the relentless nature of the initial negative message, creating an overwhelming sense of prejudice. The lack of formal structure also enhances the surprise and impact of the poem’s eventual reversal, as the reader is not guided by conventional poetic forms.
Alliteration and Consonance
While subtle, Bilston also employs sound devices like alliteration and consonance to add texture and emphasis. For instance, in “Cut-throats and thieves,” the repetition of the ‘th’ sound (alliteration) and the ‘t’ sound (consonance) contributes to the harsh, aggressive portrayal of refugees, reinforcing the negative imagery through auditory means.
The Enduring Message of “Refugees”
Brian Bilston’s “Refugees” stands as a powerful testament to the transformative potential of poetry. By ingeniously crafting a poem that can be read in two opposing ways, Bilston compels readers to confront their own biases and the often-simplistic narratives surrounding complex humanitarian issues. The poem is a profound exploration of how language can both divide and unite, how fear can build walls, and how empathy can dismantle them. It serves as a vital reminder that perspective is everything, and that true understanding often requires us to look at the world in a different way. This poem is not just about refugees; it is about humanity, challenging us all to choose compassion over prejudice.