Please stay
I haven’t always felt this way
No Schengen
No euro
Opt in to this
Opt out from that
Always the cherry picker
Drive on the left
Miles, yards and stones
Not two pins but three
Either burn your hands or freeze them off
Always the exception
But here I am
A European with a German accent
Asking you
Please stay
You were always on board
Fought Napoleon
Fought Hitler
Churchill proclaimed it
– The United States of Europe –
It wouldn’t be without you
Please stay
Your marmite, your bangers, your HP sauce
Your cuppa, your ale, your cider
Your Coldplay, your Spice Girls, your Rolling Stones
Your Magna Carta, your royals, your NHS
Your Newton, your Austen, your Rowling
Your etiquette, your humour, your non-clothes in winter
All your things I’ve come to love
Please stay
Yes, this Europe’s a mess
Too much technocracy
Too little democracy
Let’s turn things around
Please stay
This is our Europe
We’ve built it together
We’ll build it together
A Europe of the hearts
A Europe of the minds
The old and the new
‘United in diversity’
Our Europe
Please stay
– Harald Köpping Athanasopoulos (June 2016)
