Conversations for a new age

Mummy what happened to Granny?

She got locked up

But why Mummy?

She wanted to be free

But why Mummy?

She didn’t want to wear a mask

But masks keep us safe Mummy. Good people wear masks. Isn’t Granny good?

Yes Granny is good but she wanted to be free. They say she’s dangerous

But why Mummy?

Because she won’t get her vaccination. That’s why they locked her up

But vaccinations keep us safe Mummy. Good people get vaccinations. Isn’t Granny good?

Yes Granny is good but she wants to be free. Free to choose. They say she’s dangerous

But why Mummy?

She wants use real money and it’s *****.

But digital currency keeps us safe Mummy. Good people use digital currency.  Isn’t Granny good?

Yes Granny is good but she wants to be free. Free to think for herself and not depend on technology. They say she’s dangerous

But why Mummy?

Because she remembers a world where life wasn’t ruled by technology and she was free not to be tracked and monitored. They say she’s dangerous

But Mummy technology keeps us safe. Good people use technology. Isn’t Granny good?

Yes Granny is good but she wants to save the planet from pollution. They say she’s dangerous

But Mummy Granny isn’t dangerous. She loves me.

No Granny isn’t dangerous. She wants to be free. She wants everyone to be free to choose and think for themselves. She wants the world to have clean air, earth and water. So they locked her up

Life is measured in moments
In every breath that I take
The choices and decisions
That I find so tough to make

The fear that will hold me back
And keep me stuck in one place
Because I know deep inside me
There’s a future too hard to face

The fear of leaving childhood
And entering an adult world
Behind me lies the playtime
Of being a little girl

The fear of expectation
To meet predestined goals
To dance to another’s tune
Knowing that it kills my soul

The fear of giving up my dreams
Of the person I could become
All stifled with these few words
I know best because I’m your mum

Knowing when to say goodbye
To accept that things must change
Nothing stays the same forever
To admit that feels so strange

Life is measured in heartbeats
In every step that I take
A sure and certain knowledge
That I will make more mistakes

The fear of having to move on
Of the demons I must fight
The struggle for serenity
That keeps me awake at night

The fear of having to let you go
Though I know that it is time
The painful understanding
You weren’t meant to be mine

The fear of feeling lonely
When my children have all gone
The nest is quiet and empty
It no longer seems like home

The fear of a loved one’s passing
That our ending will come soon
I sit here in the darkness
My heart crying out to the moon

Knowing when to say goodbye
To accept it’s time to part
The hardest lesson of life
How to heal a broken heart

Adrift in a new reality
Slowly I’m losing my grip
A demon sits on my shoulder
Waiting for my guard to slip

The dark of evil surrounds me
Painting a nightmare land
Spreading doom and disaster
With a cruel uncaring hand

Quenching the fire in my soul
With a steady flow of hate
Beating me into submission
Until accept my fate

Robbing my heart of love
Until I have nothing to give
Empty devoid of emotion
I have no reason to live

Calling to my deepest fears
Whispering in tones of spite
Driven to the edge of reason
I have no weapons to fight

Gone astray in my crazy head
No one comes when I shout
I can’t find the exit sign
Trapped here with no way out

Losing any will to live
Numbness seeps into in my limbs
I can’t hold out any longer
Is this how my death begins

No pills or ***** will aid me
Blank out your damning refrain
But if I name you my demon
I will find respite from pain

So I will seek out your name
To know you is to beat you
The knowing will set me free
To myself I can now be true

This was going to be my summer
The one when I learned to drive
Instead of my independence
I’m praying in fear for my life

This was going to be my summer
When exams were over and done
I was going to celebrate
With my friends and have loads of fun

This was going to be my summer
I was going to start my first job
My new beginning is cancelled
And I feel as if I’ve been robbed

This was going to be my summer
The one when I bought my first home
Now my plan is on hold
I feel so scared and alone  

This was going to be my summer
The one when I married my mate
We wanted a life together
Who knows how long we will wait

This was going to be my summer
To holiday with those I most love
But now I can’t leave my house
Unless I wear a mask and gloves

We have lost the warmth of summer
Its beauty is sad and remote
It’s only a slim consolation
Everyone is in the same boat

For now we are all locked down
Unless the work we do is key
We are trapped in prisons of comfort
Forgetting what it is to be free

We all miss friends and family
The joy they bring to our lives
We pray they are well and happy
That at the end they survive

We all live with shattered dreams
We struggle and feel we can’t cope
We dared to open Pandora’s box
Thank God we also found hope

There’s a present I can’t wrap
With my love so carefully
A present you will never open
That I can’t leave beneath our tree

There is no cheery message
In a card I won’t get to write
A bit of joy that I can’t give
To you on Christmas night

Now that you have left my life
Things will never be the same
I can’t simply pick up the phone
And hear you speak my name

You won’t say Merry Christmas
Or wish me Happy New Year
My heart feels sad and empty
Now you are no longer here

Today I can’t stop crying
You helped when things were rough
This first Christmas without you
I didn’t know it would be so tough

The year outside is dying
The wind howls and hurls rain
Inside I grieve to lose you
I’m not sure I can bear the pain

Yes I have happy memories
I can find some comfort there
Your life was worth the living
Though to part still seems unfair

I want God to give you back
I want you here with me
But you are always in my heart
And your soul can now fly free

Yes Christmas is coming
There is no escaping that
So please can you put a penny
In the poor old man’s hat

This quiet soul is starving
The government stole his pension
But he worked hard all his life
That never gets a mention

The MPs in Westminster
Drinking their cheap champagne
Vote to strip you of your rights
And make us all slaves again

But lo fear not one and all
For now Brexit will be done
And future generations
Are going to have some fun

We will be taking back control
Oh what a clever ploy
But control is only for the rich
The rest will be destroyed

The Christmas bells they ring out
But their message goes unheard
Please look after the weakest
And please yes feed the world

Outside the snow is falling
And I can’t hear any jingling bells
There is but a bleak midwinter
As our country goes to hell

So if you haven’t got a penny
I hope God will bless you
But if you want your pennies back
Then next time don’t vote blue.

How hard it is to let you go
Though I sense that it is time
I have to stop pretending
That it’s going to be fine

I want for you to wake up
To smile with us and laugh
To tell us all your stories
To share jokes with the staff

My mind drifts back to happy days
As I sit here by your side
The times we spent together
How we laughed and how we cried

I remember what you taught me
To hold my head up high
To be the best that I can be
To look the world in the eye

You have been my refuge
When life caused me to frown
You were always there for me
You never let me down

I can’t bear for you to leave
Now the hour has come to part
I’m not sure I can bear the pain
That I know will break my heart

But I feel deep down inside me
That your soul seeks it release
And now that your God has called you
You will know eternal peace