What is the universal language?
Is it not music? That soothes and amuses,
That inspires us to movement,
That paints a picture of a thousand words,
That when it’s heard, can move us to love.

Music so expressive, it can make you weep
Sounds so smooth, they can help you sleep.
And what about marches that propel armies,
Keeping their feet as one, with the beat?

A beat that throbs deep in your heart
And calls you apart, to dance or to revolution –  
The revolution of the soldier,
Or the revolution of the ballerina’s toes.
Who knows what has been done by the song you have sung
It has called, it has touched, it has moved
Like a bell, it has rung.

But let it love, not hate
Let it not be sung too late
And remember that all can hear it
So draw people near with it

You don’t need a rehearsal
To speak the universal language of music- Just use it!

Our time here is so very short -
We only realise this when we're getting old.
If only our young self were more mindful of this
And treated time more like gold:

Valuable and beautiful and something to be savoured,
Like someone you love, whom you always favour.
Never waver the flavour
Of that favour we've been given
Of Time, more elusive than rhyme!

From the ridiculous to the sublime -
One piece of time can feel like yesterday or yesteryear.
But it's always going away - never fear
Actually, do fear - that something so dear is frittered aloft,
Disregarding the cost of every day bought for us

For us to use, and choose to be useful
Each day that is new, to be used to be fruitful -
Beautiful fruit like beautiful gold
Valuable, glittering
Let's be bold - and let our Story be told!

I get up in the morning, get dressed
Where’s my valet?
Downstairs to my dining room
What’s new at the buffet?

The cutlery gleams, my bacon steams
I love the sound of the coffee machine
I really shouldn’t eat so much
I need to look good when I go to the club.

Well, it’s off to work now
Or should I do tennis first
No, it’s too hot
I’ll suffer too much thirst.

Where’s James with the car? Oh, there you are!
Hurry up, mate – you know I can’t wait.

What shall I watch during the ride?
I really don’t want to look outside -
We have to go past that awful slum
Why do they have to look so glum?

                     ~~~~~

I get up in the morning, it’s so cold -
Just getting dressed makes me feel old.

I look on the shelf for something to eat
I wish I had a way to apply some heat.
I need to eat more – I should look better in this shirt.
I’d love some coffee – I wish my kettle would work.

I must get going - I’ll have to walk.
I used my bus fare to buy power for lights.
I don’t mind the dark – not at all
But I must be able to study at night.

I need to do something to get out of this slum
So I can walk to work not looking so glum.

I long for quiet, but then I long for company
I long for dessert, and then I long for Chinese take-aways

I long for chocolate, but then I long to be thin
I long for the easy way, but then I long to win

I long for a husband, then I long for a child
I long for consistency, but then I long to be wild

I long for rain, then I long to swim
Although that is fine - I'll just jump in

But I find I am longing - am I not content?
Do I not have enough - must I always augment
the needs I have on my list of things
the need I have to spread my wings
the need I have to settle down
the need I have to wear a crown
the need I have to always 'do'
the need I have to start anew?

No! This must stop - I must open my eyes
To all that's around me - between earth and skies
To all I've been given, from Heaven Or Hell
To all I've become, to all I've done well
To all that I am - Thanks to Him
To the Great "I am", Who lives within.