Upon this starry night
In a breath of sparkling life
My grand-daughter was born
In a world full of beauty
As well as traps and snares
She faces her first dawn
And we can give no more than love
Nor offer more than guidance
And vow only to be constant
For that is more than so many have

And so I whisper to her

You are made of bright newness
Innocent of prejudice
So to yourself be true
For many would give you their bigotries
Sell you their corrupted histories
But your truth lies within you
You, the blood of my blood
The child of my child
Have moved me beyond reason
At the wonder of creation

                                     By Phil Roberts

I don't want to be alright
I want to crumble like centuries
I want my limbs to whither like December
I want my treaty broken by a band of outlaws
Who can justify all the wrong that's been done with their own twisted logic

I don't want to be alright
I want to break like a wave in the night
I want my fingers to lose all feeling and all strength
I want my peace to be lost in an unjust war
Fought by soldiers who never really knew what they were dying for

I don't want to be alright
Because if I am
It will be your proof
I never really loved you
And I know I did
I don't want to be wrong

I'd rather suffer

Her soft silhouette
Etched in the dark sky
Shining bright
She hangs alone
In her paradise
Her Curved profile
Brushed by
A peaceful halo
She watches over
Her sleeping children
Snapshots of stillness
Without Worry
Pulling her down
From her peace

Dreamy eyes all on her
Modest she remains
As she hopes to transcend
Her beauty
To her lost children
The lonely souls
Who lie in bed
Awake
Fixated on her empire
Our queen of the night

Jl 2016