I'm going to set my money on fire 
I have too much to burn 
I'm going to set it alight and watch it glow 
Light up brighter
Than the stars in city scapes 
We will stand in the cold 
And take some time to look up
At colours shooting and popping      
For once there is something to see 
And afterwards when there is 
Nothing but smoke left 
Of dying chemicals 
We will all look down again 
And wait for the reaction of the rain 
Back to mundane

Take this cloth
And wipe the surface 
Use it as a blanket 
Garment or accessory 

To some a disposable 
Maybe a fashionable memory 
For others it becomes 
Their identity 

A reflective
Representation 
Of meaningless 
Merged with sacred

When you've given all you had 
And the world wants more
It's time to hang up the goody two shoes
And feed your soul

A little rebellion could go a long way 
A nod for no and bending the rules
Because it's about time 
You had your say 

When the day ends 
And you've been all worn out 
Don't breakdown and give up
Go for an alternative option 

When your self destructing 
And cursing like nobody's business 
And each day is the mother of bad days 
Just turn around and dare to risk an unknown path

Because you're tired of living alone 
Step up or let go 
Nothing is worth losing your mind over
Find your way home

If my path was lucky enough to ever cross yours again, I would tell you that in one of the filed away boxes, in my heart, beneath these ribs, are the dreams that I wished would soar higher and stronger than the winds, like birds that fly between the heavens. I am a statue at the mercy of the world, standing at the shoreline facing the cliff, I've never seen a blue, as blue as the sea, it sparkled like a jewel that I longed to possess, still it failed to make me feel happy. It's all I've ever wanted. But I never knew that I would feel homesick. The dreams sank as I trudged away, on and ahead in quicksand searching for the spiders web of coloured string. It was all I imagined and more, vibrant, tantalizing and visually pleasing, the real thing was much better than the dream. But when the adrenaline burned off I had dreamless nights and during the day I looked for another Prozac, something as beautiful as the powdery soft pastel colours of these little flowers I discovered last summer. Last week on another one of my unplanned trips I returned, with a sporadic buy of thirteen woven friendship bracelets, that inspired a familiar feeling, I could not bare to leave them. As I opened the suitcase finding a pocket I could stash them in, I came across the butterfly necklace forgotten yet hidden so well. It was zipped away and wrapped in a used tissue that I wiped my tears with when you put it on for me. I wondered about the past that I had forced from my mind and examined it for clues of my carefully planned life to which I stubbornly adhered to. Waves of obsessions and phases lapped at the edges and over spilt. Echoes of songs I was addicted to, replayed again and again for months on end until I felt sick. How I got into baking, cakes and sweets all kinds of confectionery. I baked day and night, treats for everyone who knew me. That was just me. If I loved something I loved it. And if I hated something I hated it. It was always just black or white. Too much or none at all. But nothing ever stuck, it never lasted. If I wanted it, I made it happen until it lost my interest. The necklace was my own iconic bombshell. I still love that butterfly necklace, I still love you. It was my own currency, an expired ticket to the absent happiness, it was the golden treasure once the dust from my eye had been removed.

Whether you remain or not I will remain
always yours

You only realise the value of someone when they are no longer there
But he was lucky and had the chance to see it as she was leaving 
So he cared and nurtured 
Loved and cherished
With all his might he begged and pleaded 
Because a mother is one you can't live without
And suddenly you regret not spending time 
But a mother's love is quick to forgive
If only you could give her your life to live
But true as something always been 
An end must come to beautiful things

All she left him with was good wishes 
And prayers 
That turned mud to gold
A shade that sheltered 
From all troubles ahead
But as success fell right before him
All he wished was that she could see it 
And be proud 
He felt empty without her smile 
And missed the comfort 
Like a rose without fragrance

There is this torture chamber 
They were obliged to go to 
Every 
Single 
Day
Where sitting upright was imperative 
Talked at for hours on end 
Brain washed and conditioned 
Moulded to form 
And told which way to think 
It's death by PowerPoint 
Overload of irrelevant 'information'
Dead old white guys that are not up to date 
But it's all important 
As part of the punishment
Movement is restricted
To just shut up and be spoon fed
Learning is a product not a process
Is it any wonder they choose to delete history rather than make it

You say that you are a Muslim 
You say you stand for Islam 
But how can your Islam
Be so different to mine 

Two individuals 
On opposite sides of the globe
We believe in the same God 
Follow the same voice 

If you are a Muslim
Your actions would show it 
You would follow the Qur'an 
And not distort it

If you are Muslim and this is your Islam
Then I am a non-believer
Refusing to take the blame
So oppress not in my name

When was the last time 
A smile graced those lips
When did you ever laugh too much
As tears streamed down your face
And a stitch pained your sides 
Bending forwards clutching your stomach
Until you toppled over 
Rolled on the floor 
And then begged to stop

It's been too long
I can't remember 
The last time I let go
The child within has been lost 
Amongst professionalism and conduct 
Always being appropriate
I think I grew up

What about the last time 
You went a whole day without
Looking in the mirror 
Priming that hair to perfection 
Painting on enhancements 
Wondering if those clothes
Make you look fat
And if these accessories matched 

It's been too long
I can't remember 
The last time I let go
The child within has been lost 
Amongst self-esteem and confidence 
Every impression seems to count
I think I grew up

You hang somewhere 
In moments spent in the past
And the wishes of tomorrow 
In the streets of hope
I search for friendship
Amongst the gloom of happiness 
I come across fates that betray 
Love that lingers as a long lost lover 
Nowhere to be seen 
Lessons scribbled in illegible writing 
Mistakes that have to be made 
Once again 
And just maybe 
This time there won't be any faults
Because we have had practice
And this time we can fix it 
Save the raw scrapes against the wounds of the soul
Follow the path engraved to the unknown 
With high expectations comes great falls 
So lets fall into the bottomless abyss 
The grave I mean 
Together forevermore 
Bound by memories 
Held by time 
Words once spoken that we can't take back 
Trapped in echoes reliving in the mind 
Relations a maze
We search for an exit 
Missing it each time  
Too caught up on each other
Not wanting a way out

It's like an anxious feeling
That grips you
Where nothing else matters except that moment 
The inability to feel anything else
And your body starts to give up on itself
You forget how to breathe 
Literally 
It's like there is not enough oxygen 
But you're doing all the right motions 
Exhale 
Inhale 
Exhale 
Inhale 
And it speeds up 
Inhale more frequently 
Inhale 
Inhale 
But it's not enough 
Something is not working right 
Inhale!
And then panic sets in 
Why can't you control your own body?
Break out in a cold sweat
The numbness seeps through
Creeps throughout every limb 
Untill you become stiff
Like a corpse
Your chest heaves 
And it's like there is not enough space 
For your heart to expand 
The tunnel of your throat is squeezing tight
And you head is too heavy for your shoulders
White dots blur your vision 
And on one last inhale
It's over

Remember when you carved your name into the tree in the courtyard
Thinking it would last forever 
It was uprooted when the house got separated into half 
Because two families could not live together 
And the baby who you held and loved
Grew to hate you
The relative his mom spoke so much of 
All bad things
All one sided 
The nan who once wanted to hide you in her hug 
So they would leave you behind 
Sent you on your way 
Miles and miles so far
The friend your made
The one you met at every party 
And promised to keep in touch with 
Got married and you both got lost in your lives
People built houses on the cornfields you ran in that night 
The open fires that once fascinated you 
The tv missing from every home 
A way of living that you admired
Turned into gas cookers 
And tuning into the latest serial 
The village dwellers sought the city life 
Of technology and comfort 
And the community life was dismantled 
Relations distorted 
All in the name of progression

I met a girl who chased paradise 
Whilst I chased the sun
She stood firm for prayer
Whilst I sat laid back 

Lord she was steadfast
And strong 
Determined and right
She was guided by the light

And I got distracted by the night 
So there I stood a sinner 
Oblivious of one more sin 
And there she was happy 

Content and thankful
So I pray to be like her 
And that she gets rewarded for being faithful
Whilst I committed to fault after fault

She came to you before the casket closed 
We will all come back to you when our eyes won't open

All I can give you
Is my deepest sympathies
My sincere regrets
This is a moment
I can't simply say congrats
So let me mourn the loss of your logic
Of when reason jumped out the window

I remember when art was colouring within the lines
And making Christmas cards
To festivals it was confined
Art was messy and fun
It was paint and glitter
Glue and scissors
Art was not a subject regular
Not like numeracy, literacy or science
It was a non academic waste of time
An afterthought in the afternoon
Galleries were for Picasso
Theatre's for Shakespeare
And other blue bloods
Somewhere not everyone was welcomed
Creativity and imagination 
Art became a journey of exploration
Different views and interpretations
Art is seeing the beauty in everything
It's moving it is still
It's lifelike and unreal
Sinister and peaceful
It sends a powerful message
It's a form of manipulation
And presentation 
Close to the artists heart
Words and pictures
A form of expression
The freedom to do what you want
Art is autonomy

I long for the green pastures of fables
The shepherd that lead the right way
The children of innocence 
The strangers who felt like friends

But a life of simple living 
Was wept into stone
Highways that lead to sins
Brought evil days 

Lambs were lead astray
Footprints that walked away
In the snow
That turned into a slush of dark grey

The soul it longs for completion
The heart has become a cobweb
On the bedroom ceiling

The time of migration is upon us
A time of pilgrimage
Travelled by millions in history of time

O son of Adam 
Go forth
And leave the world behind

Walk in the footsteps
Of the beloved leaders
A time to reflect and change one's life

Just for a while
We will take a break
And reconnect with our roots

Days governed by prayers
Spent in the Lord chosen way
You could never overdose on prayers

Breathtaking beauty
I saw her adorned with simplicity
Her features enhanced with a smile
That made her eyes light up 
In a warmth that said you could trust her
Her words were the same as the one's we all learnt and knew
Yet she made them sound different and true
A language of care and love
As she tread with grace
And softly spoke in respect
Gazed with trust 
And blushed in the sweetest way
I saw elegance in the way she dressed
Modest and humble
She went unnoticed 
And maybe that was her intent
But I'm impressed I must say
She's someone mother would like
They would get on like a house on fire
She was beautiful

Dear Mr. Preacher
Why are you so greedy for
Everytime I see you
You ask for a dollar to feed the poor
I just want you to
Look me in the eyes
And realise 
I don't own a cent
Let alone two to create a jingle 
Money comes money goes
In my case it just goes
I owe the landlord
Tonight he's throwing me out the door
My accounts in overdraft
Saving 
What's saving
I don't know
Why must you ask and shame me for
Announce it on the speaker
20 dollars from Mrs Sparks 
One hundred from old man Williams
Thank you for being so generous
With your donation
In God's house it's become a bidding war
For thou art the holiest
And kindest 
God loves the charitable
But forgive me if I'm wrong
Did He not also speak of the boastful
Pride is a man's downfall
And if I had a dollar or two to spare
Or maybe more
I would leave it anonymously
Like the way a breeze lifts the cat flap
In the wall
The way you would find a forgotten paper bill
In an old purse

I found freedom in prayer
Peace in prostration
And belonging in submission
As my head touched the floor

I found my heart at the mosque
And a lullaby in the recitation of supplications
I found hypocrisy in preachers
And piety in the poor

Sisters that lay in the shadows
To show me light when I fall
Brothers who are protective 
But most of all respectful

I found a unity with strangers
A vision beyond this world
I wanted to see my reflection in
The rivers at the Gardens of Eden

I fell in love with manners
Smitten with worship
Prayer swept me off my feet
Where there is God there is no defeat

You are not scared of the dark
You're scared of the shadows
It's a fear of the unknown
And that's pretty normal

You are not afraid of heights
You're anxious of falling
And it would be kind of stupid if you did
So that's pretty normal

You don't hate love
You fear not being loved back
Humans are not lone creatures 
So it's pretty normal 

It's not that you are scared of trying again
You just don't want to fail
For the same reasons 
So that's pretty normal 

Im scared of not being in control
Afraid of not having options
She's scared of spiders
We are all afraid of something

So she's a chicken if she doesn't jay-walk
And he lost the dare for excessive shots
We are not afraid of dying 
But rather we fear what comes after?

That's pretty normal

Drive to the gym
To run on the treadmill
Switch on the t.v
To keep you company

Neither too young nor too old
The perfect age to enjoy life and explore
But there is no job
And no money to be social

So you buy your freedom 
Through education
But tie a noose of debt around your neck
Then get a job worth so much less

And fill your life with stress
You finally earned some money
But have no time to spend it
And this is the cycle of life

Somehow
Sometime
Somewhere along the way
Our relationship became sterile
And clinical
Formal and uncomfortable
I miss how we shared anything and everything
But now we hesitate to speak
Think twice before we type
And I wish I could pinpoint 
The exact moment when it all changed
I wish I had something to blame
Maybe it was time
Or it could have been distance
Perhaps it was another influence
The words seem forced and polite
From both our sides
One word answers
The conversation is over in minutes
We don't hold the same interests
I wish I could say what went wrong
Although I'm not sure even I understand
Maybe it nothing
But it feels like everything
Maybe it's the end of the road
And the rides over
It's time to get off and let go
Exit in single file along the yellow line
It's quite weird that I feel fine
No dizziness or sobbing
I see it's quite a mutual feeling
So farewell dear friend of mine
Lets part ways in convenience
Where staying together makes no sense
Let sweet things end on a bittersweet note
Yet sweet all the same

The pounding on the door
Hammers in your heart
Each fist thumps to bruise the skin
Clipboard and red knuckles

Official uniform 
Stern face
Walkie talkie at the ready
To radio in his colleagues

He just wants to chat
But only you seem to know that
It will not be over
The sick feeling in your stomach

Rolling as a sixth sense
He starts making a scene
So you can't pretend you never heard it
As quick as a flash

Their eyes catch the twitch in the curtain
Can't hide, can't pretend, can't ignore
It ever happened
Never an action you so despised

As you opened that door
And let the flood in
Bad news
Had found you

You taste like salt
And the brokenness of calm
An unease of the heart
Eyes that close and see
The formation of a new world
A new day different from the day you lived
Of a life merged into mundane days
To a start that has no beginning
Away from the wilderness of pain
Hurtling through time and space
A time to where you look at the sky once again
And the beams of the sun are not just a taunting harsh glare in your face
No more fumbling for aspirins in the cabinet
That no longer exists

Would you find God if I told you
He lives in non-believers too
Would you believe me if I said
You are already half way there

When you said it would take a miracle, and it did
Why turn your back 
Put it down to good luck
Than accept it for what it is

You were almost there 
When you said Dear God 
Unconsciously you accepted it
And so it uttered past your lips

Going to Mass
Listening to Biblical stories
You were almost there 
Until you said it was all a myth

Maybe the obvious places are not the best ways to start
If you're searching for God 
Look at the art
And search within your heart

The mechanics of wings
The two seas that won't meet
A little more simple
The functions of a tree

There's something unnaturally magical
Spiritually mystical
Delightfully wonderful
In an enlightened world with the words of God

So which of your Lord's favours do you deny
Remove the veil from your heart and refuse to hide
He is the All Powerful the All Knowing
I only wish for you to receive this blessing

Your eyes betray your smile
Trying to put on a brave face
And I can hear the whispering chant in your mind
Slip through those traitorous lips
Blurred words from grief or something else?
He's gone he's dead
The scent of freshly turned soil
Serves a reminder between us
I can see how you are well on your way to a black belt
In self-destruction
If I could
You know I would
But I can't make false promises 
That are broken before they are made
I can't tell white lies 
To bandage your pain
If I could 
I would stop my heart from beating
So yours would beat again
He may have left us
But my life testifies he took you too
You have complete right to this pain
As would any other in your place
But look around
At those who live through you
Those who you lived for too
Life may not ever be complete
Or merry once again
But it will only be bearable 
When you allow the warmth of a hand to be placed in yours

Life is about taking breaths
But the most important times
Are when it is taken away
And all that haunts a displaced child
Is when their breath was lost then found again
From the moment a 3 minute warning is given
Where does one evacuate to
When already in a shelter
As bombs blast
And shots echoe in the near distance
When the ground shakes in pain
There is no time to think
No time to act as shrapnel came flying
To pierce their skin
And homes collapsed
Walls caved in
Only to harden their resolve
All out of tears
They no longer fall
When they get used to the pain
They recite the martyred like a grocery list
Mum
Dad
Brothers
Sisters
Aunties
Cousins
Uncles 
Friends
But­ the souls of lost ones are trapped in little hearts
Caged in past dreams
Where Fatima still comes to play with Aisha in the courtyard
Even with her head twisted off by the guards
Tariq and Abdul play marbles with charred fingers
Maha clings onto yesterdays that can never be the same
Where her father's farm was ripe 
And days were spent out in the field
A child sees a child does
So they accept they were born to die
And pick up a stone to fight
At least they must try to protect themselves
Even animals reserve that right
It's instinct
Basic defensive nature and survival needs
Yet the world condemns them
Serpents that bare snakes
They are terrorists in the making
As curses cry out from anger and hatred
A crime to be born in the middle east
The gates and borders of surrounding countries
Closed for their emergency
Where the only place to go is through the doors of heaven
Which are wide open
And in this case is it cruel of me to say
Maybe it is a better option
Than to live and die a thousand times over 
Mentally disturbed 
Overwhelmed with distrust
All that will be left are robots
That have nothing to lose
Time that should be spent in school
Is a time that will never come back
And everyday is a chance lost
Scars that will never be overcome
Eyes that have seen too much
These angels don't belong here

I am ashamed, Sister!

I live in a house, I want to renovate.
Yours was bulldozed, now you live in a tent.

I need a new car, trade the old one away.
You lost your feet in a bombing yesterday.

I sleep so cozy and warm in a king size bed.
You find comfort in the cold hard floor instead.

Something doesn't work out I'll complain to everyone.
While you hide your tears when you lose someone.

My freezer is full with samosas and pies.
Your tummy sounds are muffled by rockets and cries.

I open my fast with plenty food in my plate.
You are thankful for that single date.

I do some chores my back is sore.
You lost your sons your pain is much more.

My Eid clothes are bought, few hundreds gone.
You were forced to leave with the clothes you had on.

I need a few holidays throughout the year.
You won't abandon your land despite the fear.

I have everything yet I still want more.
You just want peace, the end of this war.

Despite all this you are closer to Allah then I'll ever be.
So I am ashamed sister, ashamed for being me!

Dad promise me I won't die
She sobbed as her mother wailed in the background
He could not get home
He could not save her

Mom make them stop
It's too loud and I am scared
I can't feel my legs
Take this metal out of my skin

Oh Salma just close your eyes
Dream that you are a princess
And fly the skies
Rest in peace my child

The birthplace of saints
And the graveyard of angels
Nothing to see here
Just another dead Palestinian

Did we learn from ******
Would we allow another mass genocide to take place?
Stand up people and say
Not in my name!

Because until we do
You and I we are murderers 
As mothers watch the rain of bombs
And we sit at the dinner table as though nothing is wrong

Be critical
Search for the truth instead of being spoonfed
How do your actions contribute to bloodshed
Is your tax aiding war weapons

Of mass destruction
And is CNN reporting truth 
Unbiased and removed
True images polished with lies

Ethnic cleansing
Taking place right before our very eyes
We are not out for revenge or punishment
There are civilians on both sides

But injustice is wrong
And we cannot allow it go go on
Here on the ground in a war torn land
Israelians and Palestinians get on

Pain unites them
But who is fighting them?
Under political agendas
Peace will never embrace them

Soft lingering notes
Of an instrument
Set the scene
And poured the atmosphere
With an intensity
That flowed in the rhythm of the pumping motion of my blood
And I wondered if somewhere in the back of my mind
I was making up the unrealistic static in the air
Because I was having a moment that would never be considered likely
Black hat tipped as the tassels swung back and forth
I braced the longest walk up the shortest flight of stairs
And it felt like
I was a river gushing down the mountain
Sweeping towards the sea
To join the tide
As we strode forth
With pride
Heads held high
A mechanical motion
With directed synchronisation
Each in our own glory
A moment of royalty
The letters sunk into paper
Bachelor of Arts
Combined Honours Degree
But as the bright lights blinded my eyes
I could not help but realise
I had reached a destination
From where the journey would begin once again
That I had climbed a ladder
And the rungs got higher
Just as I finally reached the spectacular view at the peak
I was left at a cliff hanger

All for one
And one for All

Ahad!

       Ahad!

Came their crying chants
Strong and loud
They bellowed
Even as men bled into the ground
Fear not they remain strong

               Ahad!

                       Ahad!

Outnumbered by hundreds
Yet they persisted
And strode forth
The earth returned their shouts tenfold
As the voices echoed back
From the mountains
Down from the heavens

                          Ahad!

                     ­               Ahad!

Victorious in their unity
Strength was their belief
They rose declaring truth
Mission liberation
Shall one day be complete

                                             Ahad!
                                    
                              Ahad!
                  
             Ahad!

Rockets may fly above them
But the Lord is all mighty
So strive against oppression
Corrupt rulers
And colonialisation

                   Ahad!        

          Ahad!

  Ahad!

Fight like servants
And die like martyrs
Fight to protect
And serve to uphold
The honour of your brothers and sisters
        
                        Ahad!
              ­
              Victory shall be yours
           And rewarded you will be  

                        **Ahad!

I thought it was supposed to get easier
The deep hunger gnawing at my insides
I was supposed to get used to it
Yet my stomach feels like a bottomless cave

Empty
       Empty
And these lips are dry and chapped I'm made more painfully aware of the thirst as I speak

Drained of energy
Tired and restless
I slump to one side
As though I can't hold myself up

And everything is irritating
The heat
Engaging in polite conversation
Pretending not to feel or hear the gurgle and growl constant twinge

Or the just about bearable contractions
As my stomach squeezes in on itself
And hiccups shake my body
I deprive myself of water for the people who don't have a choice

Comforted and secure
As the delicious smell of rice wafts to my nose
And the juicy mango melon fruit salad gets prepared for the meal at dusk
I know it's mine to eat tonight

I will eat tonight
Though not everyone does
Not everyone is as lucky

So next time I walk past someone asking for charity
I will remember that I tried to put myself in their shoes
Everyone deserves food and water
I will eat less if it means they can eat too

A day will certainly come
As sure as we breathe
When our creator will ask of us
What we did to aid the oppressed

On that day
As surely as who created you
Created me too
It will not be about religion but humanity

When carefully planned and organised jets
Launched rockets
To bomb populated refugee camps
Schools and apartment blocks

At a defenceless opposition
Without an air force or navy
Heavy weapons or artillery
Command or armour

That's not war
It's ******
It's cold blooded massacre
As a woman shot in the stomach
Gives birth to a cold blue baby
And a world across oceans changes channels tuning in to the next world cup champion

It was never about taking sides
Israel vs Palestine
There is a truth
To which we must remove the blindfold of ignorance

Searching for a voice of right
Amongst the cries of pain hatred and anger
The sign in a city
Where there is too much to see

Finding peace amongst people who are not ours
Because I see hypocrisy of nations
Who stand for human rights
But only when the human shares a matching ideology

I see hypocrisy amongst media
Where a million wounds and shades of blood
Are inked into black and white letters
Today I read 'An Israelian was killed whilst a dozen Palestinians died'

They turned humans into numbers
Quantitative data
They couldn't possibly de-sensitize it any further
I mean look at the verbs in which they phrased that  

I see hypocrisy amongst Muslims
Who stand equal and united
Yet they too turn backs when the interest is not beneficial
And the pitiful nation falls divided

Whether it is a prayer
A strike, a boycott or vigil
A protest or petition
Maybe even a donation

There's a thousand ways to help
But very few who do
So what did you do?
Was it out of sight out of mind for you?

I watch you stare into space
At memories I want to get my hands on
Your fingers trace whispers of
Two souls cut from the same cloth
And how one became a moon drop
Due to budget cuts
The light at the end of the tunnel was turned off
And dreams were dreamt in black and white
Time no longer moved by mood to moment
Living by the currents and planning by the tide
Following the sun
Now it moves hour by hour
Each day is something to survive
Merely exist
Trying to hold onto something that's already gone
And I can see that you will never close your eyes again
For the person whom you belonged with
No longer exists

He's a ticking time bomb
Un predictive
And volatile
That boy's had a bad mood
Far beyond recommended
It's turned into a permanent
Sour faced scowl
His sane mind is on a long vacation
He will joke at everyone
But can't be on the receiving end
A wolf in sheep clothing
Eventually the wool will be sheared
He's possessive like a boa constrictor
Suspicious without reason
Girl in the end you'll lose
She always gets defeated
Work problems will come home
Until there is no work left at all
Snide remarks
He wants respect without deserving it
Girl you will be pulling a double shift
That boy he won't ever be appreciative
Claps her cheek
And fist bumps her eye
That ain't no 'walked into a wall'
And no one believes her lies
So don't let what he should have brought to the table
Be the only thing you had to eat
Being lonely is better than being unhappy with someone and losing your self-respect and dignity

Success follows a believer
Like truth that cannot hide
For he contains all the elements
That turn every situation right

Forgiveness and healing
That alone is a sign
Of a person stronger
More than you and I

Success is that person who falls down
And gets right back up again
Grabbing at all opportunities
That happen to blow in on the wind

The Lord provides the recipe
And bestows the ingredients too
You don't have to look far
Love and work hard honestly

Yes, the Lord helps those that help themselves
To the blessings He provides
When it comes down to it above all else
That is true success in life

Without you here tonight
No one else qualified
As enjoyable company
Your funeral was a low-key affair
You wasn't there
And even the clock stood still
As though you were it's second battery
How could it work without you
Death has the power to make even the most damaged person look peaceful
And that's when I realised
For someone like you
Only death could bring peace
You were always out of place
It will finally put your demons to rest
So rest happy
I know
You're finally home

Somewhere between the lines
Of the 21st century
And some other time
Religion became an inheritance

And God became bound
In churches, mosques and temples
A somehow secret affiliation
In the workplace He was not allowed

Embarrassment infiltrated friendship circles
And God was rarely mentioned
People celebrated Christmas
But Christ was not believed in

We sided with experiments
And political histories
Derived morals from sci-fi fantasies
Our role models became Miley

But what of the Mary's
Magdalene, Bethany and mother of Jesus
We would rather believe in faeries
And be unfaithful to the one who made us

Faith is you
And religion is an identity
It's everything you stand for
And all that you believe in

God is at high school He's at college
Bring the belief in your heart upon these lips
Where prayers can be established
Beyond a parish

So keep company with those
Who come to congregation
Beyond the house of God
And incorporate bible lessons in conversations

For surely Angels surround
And embrace you in a divine
Blinding light
That will guide you away from anything but right