Life Is Brave

Living on the edge, near rivers churning,

A quake away from heartbeat shocked to still,

In sight of Etnas, fleet of foot no saviour,

Threatened on all sides but stood, by will.

A bomb away from end in messy graveyard,

Bullets hailing fast as driving snow,

Yet we live, rejoice in what’s around us,

Still we love and risk as on we go, 

Belittling fear, unworthy as oppressor,

Aged in ashes fallen all through time,

Better yet, we weather all, endeavour

Unity, resilient, we’ll be fine.

Disease away from death as on time marches,

Detritus around, we veer and wave,

Hope eternal, risen from the pyres,

Onwards, ever onwards, life is brave.

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And I can hear the rain outside my bedroom window,

Reminding me that Scotland’s here to stay,

In the cooling of the air from humid tension,

Promising archetypal Scottish day

When the showers, so oft bemoaned by many,

Including me, I own, but nevermore,

Wash away the dust, clearing vision,

Nourish hardy tribe from clans of yore.

From the thistle, as an emblem, to the backdrop

Of mountains fit for scaling, this I know,

In the culture of a people lies its mission,

Freedom’s in the heart, so freedom sow.