Lo, There do I see my Father
I don’t like it much
The destruction, division and deceit
Does that make me
One of the Liberal Elite?I don’t like it much
All the insults & the lack of respect
Does that make me
Too Politically Correct?I don’t like it much
The noise all around
All the ignorance and the lies
Empty vessels make most soundThere’s never enough time under the sun
We all leave this place with much undone
With visceral feelings of roads not taken
But we’re not alone and we’re not forsakenLo, There do I see my Father
Lo, There do I see my Mother
And My Sisters and my Brothers
Lo, There do I see the line
Of my people back in time
Lo, There do they call to me
To take my place in the halls of Eternity
Where our enemies have been vanquished
Where the brave shall live forever
Where the truth shall reign
Where there’s beauty and no pain
Where we shall not mourn but rejoice
For we have lived a good lifeI’ve squandered days with plans of future plays
I’ve not planned this I tell, & I vow to live what’s left well
For all I ought to have thought, and have not thought;
For all I ought to have said, and have not said;
For all I ought to have done, and have not done;
I ask for forgiveness.
Empty Vessel
You chose him
You’re responsible
He’s a symptom of your disease
You’re not anymore
Some shining city on a hill
You fill the world with unease
You’re now losing
All the wonder
You had found
Empty vessels make most sound
He ain’t patriotic
He don’t pay taxes
He insults war hero McCain
He sows division
Making many incisions
With insulting tweets again
He makes fake news
Cos he don’t want
Your feet on the ground
Empty vessels make most soundHe destroys
& He divides
Cos he can’t create
He lies
& He insults
Cos he’s threatened by what’s great
He pollutes
& He poisons
All that he’s around
Empty vessels make most sound
Fractured Narratives
We argued last night
We tore some things apart
There’s so much anger
There’s fear and pain in our hearts
We need a common reality
Not this fractured one
We cannot communicate
With understanding so far goneThe futures we planned
The narratives we told
Are now fractured and torn
And now Winter brings cold
We look for entertainment
Provocation and distraction
To avoid the future
To huddle in factionsThere is a darkness
Hidden deep in us all
Maybe we won’t recognise
Those who make the call
As they unleash it to rise
Like a hungry dog to feed
They will hide in shadows
But they won’t bleedSomething’s fractured,
Something’s cold
In the future we planned
In the narratives we told.Fake enemies are blamed
In a circus of simple lies
To distract from complex truth
Of complex living on the rise
False gods are raised
In a false future portrayed
Have cake and eat cake
Have blind faith they said.Something’s fractured,
Something’s cold
In the future we planned
In the narratives we told
Brick Lane Graffiti
We met that evening
In the ICA cinema
We met that evening
In the ICA cinema
Your hands were so warm
My heart began to thawThey say the darkest hour
Is right before the dawn
They say the darkest hour
Is right before the dawn
It’s been brighter since I’ve met you
Is my conclusion drawnIn the dark at the Green Note
Music floated in the air
In the dark at the Green Note
Music floated in the air
Later we kissed and travelled North
As you moved your hand through my hairWe swim in dirty water
Sometimes we feel sick
We swim in dirty water
Sometimes we feel sick
Some say we’re too sensitive
But I wouldn’t change us a bitWe travelled through London
We saw better by bus
We travelled through London
We saw better by bus
On to Brick Lane graffiti
I love many things about us
I’ve Faith in the Future Coming
You’re on the phone
But you’re all alone
In your echo chamber zone
And that’s not good living
You can’t find what’s real
Or process what you feel
Our divisions never heal
Whose reality are you living?I’ve faith in the future coming
Gotta stand up & fight
I ain’t runningIt’s a fractured scene
With divisions between
And a dark screen
From the lies they’re saying
I hate this nasty stuff
It don’t mean they’re tough
It’s just a lying bluff
The patriot games they’re playingI’ve faith in the future coming
Gotta stand up & fight
I ain’t runningI close my eyes
Have we lost a prize?
Under dark skies
Are we spinning out of control?
Can we still aim?
To play the grand game?
With dignity in our name?
And honour in our soul?I’ve faith in the future coming
Gotta stand up & fight
I ain’t running
Black Mantilla
You’re in a black mantilla by my grave
In the black dress bought from money you’ve saved
You’re in black sunglasses dropping tears
You’re oblivious to quizzical glances here
Now throw in your red rose
To finish your design
And I’ll love you forever
…In the memories I’ve left behind
And I’ll love you forever
…In the memories I’ve left behindYou’re in a straw hat as the waves they pass
You’re drinking Rosado from a beaded glass
You’re in black sunglasses hiding your fears
You’re oblivious to admiring glances here
And the breeze it carries the sun
As the boats begin to dance
As the stars align one more time
…You have one more chance
As the stars align one more time
…You have one more chanceWe acquire knowledge,
And we pass it on down the line
We do what we can
As we pass through time
Even with our backs against the wall
There’s still hope for us today
We have no answers
But we still have stuff that we can say
And I know we have no answers
But we still have stuff that we can sayWe love each other
With our beautiful fractured hearts
We need something to hold onto
We need someone’s hand to grasp
Breaking Glass
It’s the sound you hear
That of crashing glass
From your broken bubble
Will this too now pass?The cold winds of change
The harsh winds of hate
Now threaten your world view
And threaten your fateWith ugly, ignorant intensity
Empty vessels make much sound
Many float on hot, false hopes
I stay lonely on the ground
