Bristol: the city built on heroic hardship

This is the full copy of a poem read by Miles Chambers at the swearing-in ceremony of new mayor Marvin Rees.

Bristol, Bristol the city that was built on the bricks of heroic hardship.

Bristol, Bristol the place of dreams and possibilities the place of creative aspirations culture commerce and its own seductive music.

Bristol, Bristol a place still haunted by the ancestral ghost that echoes the historical hangover that yet sobered  us up to what time hasn’t changed

Bristol, Bristol. Take a walk. Be inspired. Feel the magical connection see a positive future Come dance in this festival of ideas.

See, we don’t have to wait for carnival every year. The party is right now right here,

This very stage, the very atmosphere is encouraging us to loose our fear cause geographically there’s no no go areas round here .

Stand on the suspension bridge see the communities, within a community,

Integrated no segregated and in the distance you can almost reach out and grab Glastonbury.

Oh, city of paradoxes why all this controversy, 

Oh, conflicting urbanisation I love you but what are you doing to me? 

Admits the beauty I regularly see the women of the street exploiting there feminity, 

Being exploited by there calamity.

I love you Bristol, I love the clamour of the weekend drinkers and the hustle and the bustle of the 9-5.

I hate you Bristol as I watch every day the young kiddy with the old weathered face in a Tesco shop doorway clinging to his blanket of security begging to survive. 

I love you because of my first kiss from Samantha because of the smell of Pie minster. 

Because of the aroma of Agnes Spencer, because of the pull of colourful air balloons floating aimlessly in a blue sky. 

I love you Bristol cause of the the first play I wrote here, cause of the first film we shot here,

Cause of the first poem I performed here and left my inspired listeners with one notion; Just Try!

I question the graffiti that glares at you echoing the voices of imprisoned youth, 

Then I hear a differed cheer, the screams of Rovers and City fans on a Saturday morning celebrating a different truth. 

I belong here Bristol amongst the riots and the protest, amongst the fighting for equality,

I belong here Bristol amongst the Ranters and the ravers, the Gospel singers The multi cultural students studying effectively,

I belong here Bristol With the Bristol blue taxi’s  the  cheers drive shirt and jeans top Blokes braving the winter streets to look cool,

I belong here Bristol with the scantily clad beautified stiletto brigade wearing the same skirts they used to wear to school,

I belong here Bristol with the privileged pupils parade their privileged uniforms and the under privileged not being encouraged to perform, 

I belong here Bristol you taught me the special secrets of wild life and movie makers can see the magic in this storm,

I belong here Bristol amongst the travellers and the hippies the ask me to think about life  in a different way,

I belong here Bristol amongst those that visit to work and study and exclaim I just gotta stay.

I belong here Bristol with the “Old Money” Business and the entrapeners wheeling dealing trying to own this city,

I belong here Bristol with all those food crazed ideas and food crazed delicious somethings emulating whatshisname; Jamie,

I belong here Bristol with the bristol sound echoing sentiments of who I am flowing through my ears,

I belong here with the faith based streets trying to get you to come to God with all your fears,

Oh, city of paradoxes where you gonna take me today. 

Oh, conflicting urbanisation are you gonna show me a better way.

So what fate awaits this colourful city.

We need to consider every beneficial possibility. 

Transport punctuality,

Drugs and social policy,

Religion ethnicity,

Multiculturalism and unity,

Ecomony and prosperity,

Education and opportunity,

Business and creativity,

Media and honesty,

Religion and spirituality,

Acknowledgement and generosity,

I belong here with the good schools offering a good future to a bad past. The bad schools offering a bad future to a good past.

It’s here on these streets that the youth are spitting the lyrics of the future that will change the wrong disicions of the past.  

I belong here! Right now in this place we have the opportunity to be something great, something amazing together… 

To utilise the collective potential of us all.  That will make this place unique and special… Let’s answer the call. I belong right here!

Miles Chambers is a poet and social commentator from Bristol.