So glad I wasn’t born a Daesh Child
Or Indian lower caste.
Or in some ghetto in Brazil
Or wherever.

The hands of Fate were kind to me,
Being born a Brit.
An easy life, compared to many men.

To think I could have been born anywhere:
A black, white or yellow,
Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu….
Even a Royal!

I’m glad indeed at what I am,
But should my birth determine all?
I must have Choices
Little though they be.

I choose Agnostic though I’m C of E,
And Humanist is my Way.
My Love of Nature is a solid choice:
Compassionate Kindness being my Creed.

My race and gender (and being Straight)
Are set in stone
Popular or not.
But otherwise I’m just very glad
To be Free.

Paul Butters

On your marks
TO run your best
StOrm ahead to keep abreast
ThrOugh the pain within your chest
AnxiOus now to pass the rest
LifelOng fame could be made
DeliciOus win of this decade
ScenariO will never fade
LimitatiOns not obeyed

I always tend to hide who I am inside
I always tend to change my appearance outside
I always tend to forget who I really am sometimes.
Maybe she left
Maybe I left her behind
She couldn't keep up with this life
So I just left her aside
She was shy, she was scared, and she always cared
Someone that couldn't make it through the race of life
But me, I pushed myself towards the finish line.

What the tears of a man say
Even though you saw it
You couldn't believe
He believes something different
But what he felt at that moment
Was alive inside the mother of a dead child

You don't like the answers
And you don't what to feel them either
Like a poor hungry child
Who is taught something different
Something that cannot be proven
Just like the things we believe

Maybe we should decide
In the moment we make love
Or when we have been pushed too far
Or have lost someone we love
Is that the moment to decide?
Or is it the moment we should ignore?

Would you say that it is fear
That makes you question their love
For their children or their race
What would you say that it is
That makes you fear for the freedom
That has already been taken from them?

Do we choose the life we’re given?
Is it a deal made from before?
Perhaps made with the devil
His lures are hard to ignore

Yes, I made deals with the devil
Before I reached this foul Earth
But I’m not so good with making deals
So I’ve lacked lighter skin since birth

Some others have better fates than me
They are given such beauty and grace
But what right do we have to determine
Of which one is the fairest face?

And what would we puppet fools sacrifice
For a finite time of beauty?
Not the bloodshed of human race,
We wouldn’t be that selfish, oh surely!

Yet I watch millions die from something
As simple as the colour of their skin
Who is the real underlying winner here?
Who are they to escape from this sin?

I know the answer every day
Is it something you’re afraid to know?
That if you could, you’d do it again
For the devil who’s enjoying this show

Now if I could, I’d like to go back
To just before I cross the gates of life
To tell myself that it all shouldn’t matter
That how I look like shouldn’t bring me such strife

Did, or would you, make deals with the devil?
Don’t worry, all we humans are flawed
And ignorant enough to so much as believe
That such a devil could perhaps be a god.

My heart is racing inside of my chest.
The life I use to know is far behind.
For I am looking at the finish line.
Just another life to go,
Until I am in your arms.
No valley or mountain will stand in my way.
I can see the finish line.

Old photographs tell a tale,
Of a smiling face turned afraid.
The kid wanted to be a man,
And now when I am,
I look upon it as a foolish mistake.

For the race has started,
From the very teenage part.
Asked to work harder, a prey for the earnest,
A journey without a destination,
How am I supposed to win if this race never ends?
I must let this go,
And rest to take a breath,
Realise what I've been skipping,
The colours of this wonderful flora,
The sounds of birds echoing as a wave.

Felt like running away yesterday
but there was a bridge to cross
but there was demon on the way.
he asked me about life
I told him,
"Come with me, I'll show you.
He followed me.

Then the roads diverged to two
There came a nymph
She wanted to know about life
I said,
"Follow me".

I had to cross a river
In the boat there was a fairy.
She didnt know about life.
I asked her to come with me.

Yes, I passed all mountains, tredges, deserts and forests
came with me
A mermaid, troll, centaur, serpant
all those who didnt know Life
and tired after a long run
the asked,
"You didnt give us the answer"

I just said
"cant you see
This is life
Its just running away"

burning with rage
They tore my throat
and as the blood gushed out
I was still thinking
"Am I not right?
"AM I NOT RIGHT?"
but I had finished my race
and won my reward.

Privilege: written on my skin
I swear I'm on your side
Though I lock my doors when you pass by.
Try to ignore what's within
The enraged masses to whom I spoke
Though I'm guilty of what's battered down their throats.
Get me by the *****
The phallicist marvelously displayed in power
Squeeze out every drop of lust; watch me shrivel and cower.
Place me within these walls
Walking along your glass ceiling as I dream
Fondling your ******* on behalf of the company.
I'm no passerby
Though I weave you on the street like a fleeting ghost
I serve like you're a growth and I'm the lucky host.
It's a **** good lie
To myself; believe I'm not guilty too
Of all the hate and greed that's crippling you.