Did I mention I was British

Did I mention that I was British?
No?
Good.
Don't mention it again.

Why couldn't I be Irish
Like my grandfather?
Why do I have to hold the
Embarrassment that I feel
When people ask where I'm from?

I don't feel British
I hate the royal family.
I don't feel British
I want to burn the union jack
I see the flag of our nation,
The tattered remains of an empire
And I want to be violently sick.
I see the union jack
And think of nationalism
Patriotism,
Racism.

I see the things that we
As a people have done to others
And feel shame.
I feel shame for our class system,
Our stiff upper lip
The way other nations see us
I feel no national pride
I laugh when our sports teams loose
I laugh a lot.
I laugh out loud.
Because I know
That Patriotism
Leads to nationalism
Leads to racism.

Did I mention that I'm British?
No?
Good.
Don't mention it again.

I feel angry towards those
Who hold us back.
They hate Europe.
I have no problem with being
European
French, Italian, German
I hate those who hold on to
The hate from the world wars
Those were different times
Those were different people.

Did I mention that I was British?
No?
Good.