In youth, you were hypnotic, inviting reciting,
invocation with intonation,
around a campfire charms and incantations
uniting the village, outlet of emotion,
stories told of heroic devotion
conquering enemies, stealing love’s kiss
of purest love, of Heaven’s bliss.
but academia tied a knot ‘round your neck
restricting your voice, removing choice
cutting, shaping, controlling, conforming,
boxing your soul into stanzas and form
with counted metre they drove the stake home
Elitists emerged declaring “this is the way”
confining performance to plays and stage
in plush theatres for the rich who paid
the poor
left out in the cold.
Heralded as art your heart lay dormant
amongst dust and cobwebs still conformant
but a spirited few saw through, sought out
your cindered Beauty; “Truth will out”.
and so your time has come, it’s now.
the yoke that choked is smashed and broken
words are alive and passionately spoken
your energy taken up by a youth, who
taste and chew the new true you,
the devout, who speak out, shout out, call out,
slam down, throw down,
giving the low down,
honouring
your crown,
standing on streets, stamping feet to your beat
whilst denouncing cheats who held you
captive.
You are once more free to be
unleashed beauty
with depth of sea , height of sky
asking why
of you and me, bearing souls,
uncovering truth
appealing to old whilst captivating youth
not held to a page or strapped to a stage
accessible to all, who hear your call
hearts open wide allow you inside,
bring darkness to light,
revealing scars and bites,
what lies beneath, wounds and grief
making sense of confusion, turmoil and pain
and through you
we discover
we are all the same.