A City United

Halfway around the world
Inspired by music,
Inspired by friendship,
Inspired by a coming together
In pursuit of an experience shared.

Looking back halfway around the world
In a city so close to my adopted home.
Thousands in that same pursuit
Travelling not so far, but seeking the same coming together.
United in joy and a feeling of belonging.

Night after night
In a city landscaped by it's music,
Shaped by the passion and the heart of it's people,
The sounds that define a culture
Note upon note, word upon word
Building a city beyond buildings

No-one imagines they will not return home,
And from halfway around the world
Awaiting another plane,
I feel a lump in my throat
A tear prick my eye,
The thought of a child not returning home,
From a longing to belong,
From a feeling of euphoric togetherness
To lives being blown apart

I visualise the concourse I have walked so many times
Now stained red.
From halfway around the world
I feel a poignant sadness
The horror strikes so close to my home and my heart,
To the places I live and the places I play.

But no sounds of explosions will quieten the city of music,
The screams and the cries will weave their way
Into the fabric of the notes and the words,
It will pause and it will breathe
And it will sing again.
Hate will not tear apart
A City United.

The Wise Women

The Wise Women

We are the wise women,
We know more than we think,
Perceive more than realise,
Are capable of more than we expect,

We are the wise women,
We can change the world
If we support each other,
Encourage each other,
Allow ourselves to be used as stepping stones,
Provide a foothold for other wise women
Or reach out a helping hand,

We are the wise women,
We set the world to rights,
No more content with just “pretty”,
No more content with comfortable,
No more comfortable with content,

We are the wise women
And we feel no need to trample,
To dumb down other women
Who are wise in their own way,
Or have the potential
To join us in our wisdom,

We are the wise women
And there is always room for more,
No-one needs replacing,
Join us on our platform,
The platform is broad and plentiful,
There’s always room for more,
More inspiration, more motivation, more ideas,
When we work together our platform grows
For more of the wise women to climb
And find their place alongside

We are the wise women,
Together we can work quietly,
Build, create, progress, sustain

We are the wise women,
We don’t need to shout and scream,
We don’t need to fight,
We don’t need to smash the glass ceiling,
We just need to turn the world upside down

January 2017