One rose; another.

Just wait for the rain, no thorn

touching the other.

You woke me up each morning with your chirps
I know you only disappeared
You'd never willingly leave
For it’s been two years
But really, where did you go, small birdie
You've left me waiting everyday by my window, in tears
You used to flaunt your red chest and smile to me
Now all I see is your plate filled with food, yet no sight of you
Will I see you anytime soon?
You were there with me from summer on a hot mid-June
You stayed through spring and Autumn  
Even through winter, you still made sure to pay me a visit when due
Did Corona catch you?
Are you gone? I'm still watching out for you every morning
You've left me mourning
I'm expecting the worst, I'm hurting
You used to come by every day by my window
It’s been a month, in which I haven't seen you though
I'm worried sick, my head's a groan
How will I sleep?
How will I wake up without your singing in my ears?

-Yara AL-Raheme

I was always so mad that you wouldn't be able to see me graduate with my class.
I did'nt have to worry about that though, since we graduated alone.

on january 1st midnight sharp
i thought i heard the voice of new year's harp
fireworks banging
champagne bottles clanking
a new story, a new life, a new chapter to begin
a new year, a new me is ready to come in
or so we all thought...

it came out of nowhere
it started in the east
all cities were flooded with peace
the west still living in utopia
not afraid of the soon to come phobia
fast forward to march - the last big gathering
all forced to stay home and work online
the green spiky ball slathering
the numbers are climbing, what do we do?
wear a mask, keep 1.5 meters distance, don't meet people
otherwise you'll get the new flu
wait, stop, don't drink bleach!
don't trust that blonde, orange-skinned peach!
listen to your doctor and nurses at the front
like a war without guns or tanks

There was a year; filled with hope,
We felt if we could survive 19, we would cope,
If only we could pull it using a towrope.

The year was going fine,
Our dreams and aspirations were going in line,
All our thoughts were that the year was divine.

Then came a pandemic,
With the range of a pandemonium,
And sadly, it treated some as a pandemain.

Then we were begging the creator,
To protect us from the Corona detonator,
And he protected some from the coroner's  disseminator.

And here we are, hoping 21 would be better,
And that every problems, we would conquer,
And that the year would be the best ever!

Oi, Manchester, why are you so blue?
You built it all, there is nothing you can't do.
We were here first and we will be here last,
Our future is bleak? Well, so was our past.
We've had more than our share of ups and downs,
Aye, it's grim up north, but every class needs its clowns.

Oi, Manchester, chin up arr kid,
If they ask you who built it, you tell 'em we did,
We built this city with rock and roll,
Through rain and shine, with northern soul,
The only thing we never built was a great northern wall,
We invited each people and we welcomed them all.

Manchester, mate, things will get better,
Mother nature tries beat us but we've never let her,
No matter the odds or how savage their action,
We are the great power house, we never lose traction.
Each time we're knocked down we rebuild from the ashes,
we shoulder each other, we each take lashes.

Oi, Manchester, don't you forget your station,
We are the heart, we are the brain and the spine of a nation.
It was here we split the atom, and here where Rolls met Royce,
Swing those monkey arms and sing your Mankey voice
Be proud, be loud, there's no need to tiptoe,
And always remember that WE created VIMTO.

Oi, Manchester, I don't 'alf miss THAT smile,
It's the whole hog, the bees knees, the best by a mile,
There will be a day when we all laugh again,
Brighter, more hopeful, more promising then,
There will always be dark before the dawn,
But, oi, this is manchester, where all dreams are born.