Of all the fine things you can do with your time

You chose these words, these bars, these lines

I swear, I care, I won't take you for granted

I'm giving this my all cause I've got all I wanted

If you know who I am, you may have been coerced

By my pleas when I said "Please listen to my verse"

And if you don't know me, I guess I'd be remiss

If I didn't thank you for listening to this

I'm so grateful I get to do what I do

I'm so grateful that my thoughts get to you

With paper, with pen, my words accrue so true

Album number one starts now. Thank you

I'm the Thought Brownie, what's in a name
I disclaim that I am tame, I have no claim to fame
I'll take the blame for this name I'm trying to be clever
Take a bite and get high on my modest endeavour

Picking this name gives me illusion of choice
I extend the illusion to find my voice
And I get it set to music though I may be out of depth
It suits my soul and my mental health

Of course I needed therapy in case you couldn't tell
Instead I choose to hip and hop with words and excel
at self-care because of a strange experience
When a therapist I spoke to said
"Hey yo go make new friends"

I didn't go back, I closed that door
Things faded to black, my silent screams ignored
I swerved off track, ran a different course
This camel's back broke, straws fell with full force

I had to crumble, got to be whole again
Not a second coming, yet I feel born again
I'll suffer nevermore, enjoying earthly realms
Making haste slowly, I'll carpe my diems

I may be easily dismissed by diss track writers
At a distance I won't be distracted by insiders
I distill, I design with my charm I disarm
My force undisturbed I still got both my arms

The state of my joints is a different tale
It's got to do with my bones, not the ones your buds inhale
Your highness, with rheumatoid arthritis
Despite added stress, my distress is at a minus

Each beat of my heart is like a clock counting down
I'm running out of time, as I march to its sound
I'll make peace with ease, know this ticking will cease
Burn out or fade away, I'm looking in for release

I look in that space in my head every day
My mind meandered and I lost my way
I return to my paper and my pen and my thoughts
Four lines every time, dropping words like it's hot

My bars and my cadence, fresh and nascent
I'll show up, I'm consistent, I'm never complacent
Out damned spot. I forgot self-doubt
I face no drought. I wrote my way out

In this ocean of thought I began to immerse
I chose words, I turned inward I started penning verse
About my quirks and all that hurts, all interspersed
With bursts of wisdom, no curses, no slurs

Whatever transpires, whether fates conspire
These skills I acquire, I will never retire
Always get to admire, these legends that inspire
Who light a million flames, through their inner fires

So many to pick, I better be quick
Naezy Brodha V Divine Nas Kendrick
Eminem Mister Nair Black Thought Jay-Z
Missy Lupe Logic Lauryn Hill amaze me

And take me through the wire, through Sunday school choir
Lin, you made me wish Burr's gun had misfired
You all gave me permission, now I write, I aspire
My head is in the heights, can we get much higher

Coming down was the easiest thing
I'm grateful for the grounding philosophies bring
bearing outrageous fortunes like arrows, like slings
Or bearing nothing, not even a prayer and a wing

I question using one method, Socratic
Duck in and out of Plato's cave, I'm pragmatic
Thoughts stem from Aristotelian logic
These grand old ideas drive me totally ecstatic

Classic constructs struck me as enigmatic
Swiping left on banality, things got dramatic
My daily stoic dose moves me, I'm never static
My senses grow sharper, I see much more magic

Of course I said magic, everything is meaningless
I assess all excessive mess in life for less stress
Yes, unless, a greater calling makes me pause
Accept my flaws with applause

I think broad, forget rewards I won't be bogged, I'll strike a chord
Find worth being worthy, my actions will be wordy
Operatic, maybe, maybe I will keep going on
With a new lease of life, I feel reborn

I'll get behind causes that help you advance
Defy the odds, be on your squad, enhance every chance
How much does it matter? Who am I to judge?
I'll put my shoulder to the wheel, give it a little nudge

The wheel didn't budge Voices kept saying no
Overcome my own resistance, that's the loftiest of goals
I won't be nervous I'm doing me a service
Every time I rap, I'm running after purpose

I inspire me, therapy isn't cheap
I roll my rock up this slope that's ever so steep
Through fire, through Frost, with promises to keep
I sleep deeper writing bars than when I ever counted sheep

What I write is pretty simple transparent, see through
In my debut, I pursue stories from your points of view
I use a lot of "I"s, though all my eyes on you
I feel heard and seen. End scene

Thank you

I went to the open mic, thought I was ready
Got there and I felt unsteady
Pukish, sweaty, rice and dal, not spaghetti
Acted like I saw lions on the Serengeti

I approached the person that was hosting the show
I said I'd like to rap, he said better have a nice flow
He picked up a pen and said, what's your name bro
I'm the Thought Brownie. Mmkay, let's go

It started with tales told by a tattooed dude
I didn't laugh at jokes a racist spewed
Music I approved, it lifted my mood
And yet the thought of my performance made me feel so screwed

Not yet a Wiz, I was M.I.A
I saw the stage, I stepped away
This battle inside me was underway
Fear won, it said not today

I felt surprised, I tried to rationalize
Was my sense of confidence a clever disguise
Did I still care about what strangers thought
Afraid of being judged seemed to matter quite a lot

What if I was booed, if I sounded crude
If my flow was interrupted by someone so rude
I forgot I had to picture you nude
Like Mr. Anderson, my lips had been glued

I'm an introvert, I'm reserved
I try staying quiet, I observe
What dignity am I trying to preserve
No excuses for being a bundle of nerves

How do you do it? What is your why
What gives you the courage to give things a try
You might be nervous, though you seem so fly
Watch me cheer you on till my throat runs dry

I spent most of my time in this day and age
With my thoughts locked in, my mind was my cage
And now,
I'll write my way out, page after page
I'll step up, engage, grab the mic, take the stage

Open your eyes, look around, what do you see
Truth is obfuscated by a false reality
Imaginary towers scrape the skies in my mind
As the real world's wonders lie forgotten behind

My mind holds a palace filled with smoke and mirrors
A fusion of illusions, things less clear
The make-believe stuff in my life trips me up
Believe you me, I'm not making this up

I conform to norms, I fulfil expectations
I'm a brick in the wall, aware of obligations
I'm born into a world filled with complications
Where we don't get no explanations

So connected, yet never so dispersed
Unchecked metaverses will only make it worse
I don't need to be coerced for me to move in reverse
I'm checking out from everything that's had me so immersed

I work to make money for my rent and my food
And to save for a rainy day when things won't be as good
I've been sold a dream I need to climb a ladder
The slower I climb, I'm supposed to get sadder

Being a hamster on a wheel, feels like a big deal
A life full of toil has mass appeal, made ideal
By conventions that shun contrarian thoughts
Tensions amplify, make me distraught

When I think of how I feel about which way I wanna go
I ask around, for answers I am desperate to know
What should I gun for, that one magic number
To build up in my bank, when done for peaceful slumber

No more encumbered, pushing rocks up a hill
I will tread on the grass, not run the treadmill
I'm too old for new tricks, leave it all behind
Unplug me, free my mind

My place on this earth is an accident of birth
I pledge occasional allegiance for what it's worth
How can a piece of fabric demand loyalty
How can a language, a government, some royalty

Have us all rally around for common cause
This relationship has more risks than reward
Humans draw imaginary borders on maps
Causes chaos, not order, yet we pat our own backs

A world where all of us are sisters and brothers
Is a distant dream when we group by colours
Some nations are more equal than others
Which is why so many are left to suffer

You seem like the type that likes stereotypes
Try to spot the leopards, can't change their stripes
Nationalism can put your head on a spike
It's a little too soon to forget the Third Reich

I choose to travel to places on a must-visit list
Insist that I'd eat at top places or be pissed
Get my boxers in a twist, this belief would persist
About a life I felt was owed but was one that I missed

I'd do things and expect to be thanked and be praised
On not getting gratitude, I'd feel dismayed
Feel like I was played, I wanted it made in the shade
From a second-rate state, I craved an upgrade

Put up my filtered pics for you to see and like
Shared my words of wisdom for a resume spike
Quote tweet, gained brownie points when I punched down
See me on my soapbox, I'm self-crowned

I'm afraid of doom scrolling in my offline existence
Conforming and I maintain a healthy distance
Resistance is tough, yet I will do it in style
Let go of society's norms with a smile

Lost in thought with a pen, looking for my next line
At the same time, my phone began to chime
I dropped my quest, I just had to see
This notification calling out to me

Each time it vibrates or makes a sound
It's a call to my arms, it's unlocked, then I'm bound
I can't be found, I'm down the rabbit hole
My attention stolen, I'm not in control

Life is boxed by the sheen of a new routine
It passes by in between hits of dopamine
You remain unseen cause I'm glued to my screen
I've been welcomed warmly to the machine

On each visit, something new to do
No wonder my phone is more important than you
What did you say, go away, let me be
You say this thing I own, now it owns me

I suspend disbelief, I blend in for relief
Prevent from being ostracized, avoid a little grief
Realize the power of made up lies
Feel surprised, open my eyes, no more denial

I stopped chasing after the windmills of the gods
Quixotic pursuits, obviously at odds
Was the logical line so far it's like a dot
Was the bush that was burning made of, you know what

Curiosity is critical, it can't be martyred
At religion's altar, we need to get smarter
and kinder for our kinder, why is it so odd
Can't we be good people in the absence of a god

The only miracles that I will believe in
Come from science and progress, give meaning
Deify delusion as divine I'm done
Organized religion is no longer any fun

I contemplate, returning to the cave
Embracing decadence all the way to my grave
Should I waive my choices, should I cave
Can I face myself giving in to what I crave

Do it by the book, if no one is there to look
What if I want to win by hook or crook
What if I conform, forsake uniqueness
What if you mistook my kindness for weakness

How can I decide if what I'm doing is right
Set aside my pride, move closer to the light
Despite convictions, my notions can be wrong
Make my ego zero, that's how to stay strong

Protect boundaries, draw my lines with a chalk
I may not be an island, nor am I a rock
Put up my defence, though my armour has kinks
Unplug me from the way the world feels and thinks

I used to love love, I'm not cynical or jaded
I loved "Love, Actually", that love is now faded
Upgraded, clinical as it sounds
With the right kind of interest, my love compounds

Mark my words, I've found things can get dark
If you search for a spark for the sake of hallmark
Instead of at critics, if you swipe at lovers
You might lose the power to uncover

How grown up love is of a different kind
You fly in blind, it's not well defined
Sometimes sublime, by our powers combined
We choose to have our destinies intertwined

Love so deep and profound is not a zero-sum game
What became of the other pictures in the frame
If the ties that bind will have me confined
For matters of the heart, I'm beat, flatlined

No life that I know of gave consent to be born
Does it surprise you that I feel scorn
At existence and everything we go through
Winging it, pretending though we don't have a clue

Death provides a choice, it's like an off switch
It cuts out the noise, ends things without a hitch
No sorrow, no joy, no tomorrow in which
Hopes and dreams are destroyed for the poor and the rich

Every single thing you know is doomed to decay
Don't assume what we have will last forever and a day
Flowers bloom and wilt, so does beauty and youth
You pull out all the stops. Full stop. That's your truth

Different journeys, same final destination
Our ephemeral lives spent chasing salvation
What if I use a shortcut to cut it short
Here's a thought. From all of these thoughts, I shall abort

The human sense of wonder combined with defiance
Of what is status quo gave birth to science
Form a tenuous alliance with truths renewed
The eternal quest for knowledge we pursue

What does life mean, what is our why
Do we learn, do we thrive or just give up and die
Is it pointless or must we try and deny
Defy all odds with a will to survive

I'm not a skeptic, my thoughts are not eclectic
I'll keep things simple, keep them authentic
If I ever encounter someone supreme
I'll ask her to answer the question of my dreams

My imagination needs a little inspiration
And in my situation I have one clarification
What's the real deal, can we have an explanation
Is this yellow submarine all just a simulation

A mind without fear, a head held high
Is free and clear and wise and fly
Not tied nor steered by imaginary stuff
With clarity and courage to know it's had enough

Knowing that, is one of life's greatest joys
I cut out the noise, find my voice, I rejoice
With more space, with more time, I get to play each day
Pick illusions I like, make the rest go away

At the risk of sounding wise, I have some advice
It applies to life and to all it can comprise
Devise all the lies that can fit so nice
Make everything about your world a paradise

Stop to breathe, to look, to wonder, to learn
Stop and smile, read a book under the sun, don't be stern
Start being happy, being brave, being kind
Love and curiosity can free your mind

I started life, many years ago
As an infant, mewling and puking
I then graduated and I started school
Studied hard, in order to evade rebuking

My world was defined by the grown-ups that I saw
That I trusted blindly Superhumans with no flaws who said
believeme I know what I'm doing
This is the road along which you should be moving

And you must work hard, get good grades
Be self-made get a job well-paid
You'll get rewarded richly for a game well-played
Failure is bad, better be afraid

Growing up, I was nothing
Growing up, I was no one
My race had begun, which way was I to run? Run.
I opened up my eyes, I stared at the sun

Growing up, I was nothing
Growing up, I was no one
I had no clue, I had no next move
I did everything I was supposed to do

I stumbled and I fell into my next phase
Where all I wanted was to astonish, to amaze
Be smarter, better, cleverer, I craved for praise
Every trail to blaze, every bar to raise

My world was defined by what others felt
and thought Their attention, their approval, is all I sought
And if I didn't get what I want, it was someone else's fault
I felt like I ought to feel distraught

Well into adulthood, I tried so I could, I would, I should
Prove how I'm so good, how I'm the shit, how tall I stood
I felt self-assured and yet I felt misunderstood

Growing up, I felt special
Growing up, I felt like the one
The world spun for me, the birds sung for me
The sun used to rise and it used to set for me

Growing up, I felt special
Growing up, I felt like the one
I was keen to be seen to arrive on the scene
Wanted all of the lights on my roads to be green

On a beautiful day, I opened up my eyes
I realized how so many of my truths were lies
I cut myself down to size, felt stupid, felt wise
Held a mirror to myself, I shed my disguise

I thought I was important, I found out I'm not
I'm just one of eight billion on our pale blue dot
I skipped the part where I play a lead role in a cage
I'd rather cheer you on as you dazzle on stage

I'll sit with my demons for tea and cake
And I'll let go of mine and I'll love your mistakes
I'll chase progress, won't chase perfection
And I love my journey so much I forget my destination

And on my journey, you are special
And on my journey, you are the one
You give me your energy, your attention, your time
Your purpose is my purpose, your victories are mine

I've grown up, you are special
I've grown up, you are the one
As I walk through the valley of light and life
With your empathy, your love, thank you, I thrive

I felt bound, I felt chained to the ground
I faced obstacles I couldn't surmount
I felt locked in a cage, like I can't turn the page
My passions had paused for my daily wage

Imagination had more pain than reality
My fears and my doubts had two thirds majority
Priorities changed and so did my mentality
Facing mortality got me more clarity

My health took a dive, it planted a seed
Showed me how I took way more than I'd ever need
My tables turned, I lost the will to greed
Indeed, I concede how my mind has been freed

Things are swell, I click well with chronic pain
All the physios are bros know me by first name
I can't complain about the daily strain
I've so much to gain using my top-notch brain

My mind, my soul, and my thoughts get better
I feel no pressure, ideas unfettered
I balance my life on a daily leisure
Pour my heart and my soul into words and letters

I'm free in my mind
I'm free in my mind
I'm so free in my mind
I'm free in my mind

That sweet fruition of an earthly crown
Won't weigh me down, doesn't make me frown
I'm not in the race, I no longer chase
It was just a phase, I broke out of the maze

Needed dopamine, defined self-worth through spikes
I sought validation, maximized for likes
for shares, subscribes ran after pay hikes
no longer my vibe, all of that can take a hike

I got nothing along at the time of my birth
That's what I'll carry when I leave this earth
For what it's worth, everything is on rent
My present is a present, I feel content

Cause I stuck gold, unlocked a treasure
I broke the mold, unbridled pleasure
It's uncontrolled, it can't be measured
This is how I roll, I take no pressure

And I let go of opinions and points of view
I don't care who won or who slapped whom
Information overload has left no doubt
I feel complete with the joy of missing out

And I'm free in my mind
I'm free in my mind
I'm so free in my mind
I'm free in my mind

I used to look ahead at my future and scurry
Lie awake in bed, consumed by worry
Never slow, I sped, Hari in a hurry
All these thoughts in my head made my lines so blurry

No lines on a table can get my mind blown
Like the ones on pen and paper that I write on my own
They get me in the zone, my skills I hone
This life that's shown says I must go on

and let everything happen, sadness and laughter
Beauty and terror, triumph and disaster
Just keep going, no hope, no despair
No feeling final, heart and soul laid bare

My burdens on fire light my darkened skies
As the flames get higher, self-loathing dies
These ashes scatter, I awake, I arise
I see my world with brand new eyes

Object permanence is a misplaced construct
Everything and everyone was and will be stardust
Each atom in my being has its own wanderlust
As diamonds turn to rust, soon I'll return to dust

I live here, live now, immediately
I'm grateful and I'm filled with glee
Unshackled, unbound, unchained, I breathe
I'm one with the universe, I'm finally free

From the time I wake, till when I go to sleep
Choices I make, pile up in a heap
Outnumbered, encumbered by decision fatigue
The smallest of things, feel out of my league

Each turn I take, I can't catch a break
So much at stake, I'm afraid of mistakes
What will they say, if I get it wrong?
I must think long and prove my mind is strong

Overwhelmed each time I need to choose
Force myself to get it right I can never lose
I can never cut loose and with all my might
Hold tight despite my weakened plight

Chasing milestones, occasional wins
Made pausing for delight feel wrong, like a sin
I'm so stressed to the bone, does this come from within
Who's this puppet master that controls my strings

I feel so attached, so bogged down
What sparked joy is a thorny crown
I loved the notion of being grown up
When and how did this ocean dry up

Since when did I begin to feel like I'm on stage
Each move scrutinized, everyone engaged
Everyone enraged, waiting for me to trip
Fully on their radar I'm not just a blip

I can't jump ship I'm stuck in a rut
I'm drained of blood from a thousand little cuts
As expectations from society, the need for propriety
In many, many ways, exacerbates my anxiety

Eventually, the penny had to drop
Either that, or my veins might have popped
Before the rug was pulled from under my feet
I had to pull the plug and beat a hasty retreat

I took the opportunity to get introspective
Stepped into a vortex for total perspective
I learned that irrespective of anything I do
I'm less than microscopic in the overall view

In a flash, everything made sense
Most of what I did was of no consequence
So is most of what you do, No offence
I relaxed, got a chance to drop the pretense

My ego left and then it all felt right
All that was left was the light shining bright
Guiding me up a path that was filled with delight
What a lovely sight, from such great heights

Just one big bang, so many little sparks
Twinkle like stars, drove away the dark
One life, a few goals, many, many days
Infinite moments, come on, let's play

Yes, and it begins with once upon a long ago
Surf on every wave and tackle all the highs and lows
Yes, and I am open to taking every ride
My heart gets bigger, my smile so wide

Yes, and it's crazy, so let's give it a shot
Go for it, go for it, no second thought
Yes, and I will relish each new start
Move my feet in tune to the beat of my heart

Yes, and please pick if we go left or right
Doesn't really matter, cause with you it feels right
Yes, and there is goodness in whatever I chose
With the right kind of mind, anything goes

Yes, and let me let my life take a new turn
Yes, and I will never stop, so much to learn
Yes, and with an open mind I start to embrace
Since I stopped judging, things just fell into place

From the time I wake, till when I go to sleep
Choices I make, I sow, I reap
I keep growing this treasure each day
I reshape my life's landscape

Each turn I take is a lucky break
Nothing at stake, no more mistakes
Doesn't really matter, if I get it wrong
From within I'm strong I'll move along

Cut myself some slack, each time I get to choose
Sometimes I'll screw up, sometimes I might lose
Sometimes I might win, and then it feels nice
No matter what I get to learn every single time

Neuroses disappear
When fingers are snapped
I've got the power I'm laid back, I withstand the attacks
Of the pricks from the thorns that emerge from within
They so blunt, they leave no scratch on my skin

I'll try to know better, try to do better
Comes from within, not from outer pressure
At the moments when I faltered, I got to grow
Everything a process, I let go of goals

Let go of milestones, of the need to win
I quit seeking shelter against the wind
My mind so free, it might seem unhinged
Unshackled, unchained, unattached, no strings

Unclutter my days, breathe, breathe in the air
Make time for everything, except for despair
Reflect on regrets, and though I can't change the past
Try my best to be kind, till I breathe my last

Bye, bye, bye, anxiety
I'm an older millennial, that yearns for glee
I'll take it step by step, that's my only guarantee
You see, whatever will be, will be

I yearn to be famous, this game I wanna win
I'd like to be at a talk show, sitting next to Lin
Write songs about Merkel, my latest crush
All my adulation, designed to make her blush

I'm a wizard of wit, weaving wonderful words
My style worthwhile, like the wisdom from pearls
Make the world watch and wait with bated breath for what I write
Win without and within, each album will be white

Pop plenty champagne in my own private plane
Only lines, no cocaine lots of gain without the pain
Unrestrained, though you know I have more chains than 2Chainz
I'm swinging high like Peter Parker with a little Mary Jane

Staying clear of Cains, I'm a stable Abel
Impenetrable, plenty space at my table
I'm a sign a big label, Lamborghinis in my stable
My life is nothing short of a modern day fable

Make space for accolades, win an EGOT or two
Everything I bite, I'm able to chew
I won't just talk at TED, I will rap in freestyle
I can flex, even when I relax and I smile

I got no haters, all you lovers take note
I don't need to gloat, nor promote that I'm goat
Your affection and attention always keeps me afloat
I'm afraid of when I lose your love, and I lose your vote

Craving validation is such a distraction
I try, I try, I can't get no satisfaction
Gollum-like, my precious I chase
This addiction, infectious, keeps me in a dark place

If the outside-in means more than what's within
And I end up this way, would I call it a win?
This never-ending chase and me are mismatched
Erase. Rewind. I'd like to start from scratch

I earn to be good, cause I know I should
I'd like to make things better, I've understood
How the privilege of playing is a win in this game
I don't need acclaim for me to spark my flame

I'm still a wizard of wit weaving wonderful words
Make it worthwhile with wisdom, I'll have you immersed
Pour my heart and my soul In everything that I write
It just feels so right to share love and share light

I feel light, though I bear this weight on my shoulders
Just you wait, let my craft make you kinder, bolder
Lighten that boulder, before you get older
Stoke that inner fire, make it roar, not smoulder

Help you find your voice, have your stories told
Put together your parts, try to make you feel whole
In the roles you stitch together, your tapestry unfolds
In the kitchen of your mind, make soup for other souls

Chart new paths through the atlas of your heart
Sculpt the marble in your mind and make everlasting art
I wanna play my part, make my words worthy
I still need some validation, I'm at someone else's mercy

I strip away all that weighs me down with self-doubt
Self-delusion on the other hand, is what it's all about
All throughout my ideas, my words and my thoughts
Make me feel so proud, I shout it out pretty loud

I don't feel the need for greed, now my pride is top one
This new kind of precious moves at a speed I can't outrun
I'm keen to be seen, be fly, have my moments in the sun
If I wing it like an Icarus, I will come undone

Yes, I confess, I set myself lofty goals
A semblance of success keeps me locked in his hold
However it unfolds, to myself I'll be kind
Erase. Rewind. Dig deeper in my mind

When the student is ready, the teacher appears
Assuages fears, engages new frontiers
Clears cobwebs, no crawlers interfere
Everyone, everything disappears

To be or not to be is no longer the question
I feel free, you see, I learnt a precious lesson
Where I lessen my burden with new points of view
It's true I grew, I choose, I just do

Through and through, I try and make beautiful choices
A kind, benevolent inner voice rejoices
I'll take what I need, the rest is written off
Less chase, more pause, look around I absorb

A steady stream of reason, quells my inner riot
Fully grown, my soul is no longer on a diet
I'll be grounded, well rounded, I will compound my fun
If I'm better than yesterday, I have won

It's time to start rising up, to the call of my duty
My ideas will blossom with some help from beauty
My better angels will help soften my shell
Excel in existence, live free and die well

Each day I set intention, write four lines
Devoid of tension, I feel fine
I challenge convention and all that it defines
Unlock new dimensions through the portals of my mind

I don't dream of new ideas, I just write them down
Once I do, they're never lost, my precious has been found
Day by day, word by word, line by line, thought by thought
This is all I've got
I'm not throwing away my shot

Monuments and statues may crumble, may fall
Doesn't matter if these thoughts and words that I scrawled
Are recalled by you all or swept away like grime
I won't stop, I'll keep writing
Like I'm running out of time

If I have a billion seconds left to live

A billion seconds of my life left to give

I turn 71 in 31 years

Left of joy, celebration, some tears, some fears

Only 31 years, so much more than half done

I won't live forever, death cannot be outrun

That's fun, immortality is overrated

Better missed and celebrated, than persist and be hated

I hope to grow old, already brown and gifted

I need no gold, nor renown, I've drifted

Let things unfold, unbound, untwisted

Uncontrolled, I've found and since insisted

That time is all I have to call my own

That all I chased before, I've since outgrown

Now I stop and smell flowers on paths unknown

Grab every wisp of delight, I will not postpone

No.

A billion seconds makes me filled with bliss

I'll never own a billion of anything but this

Time no longer spent staring into the abyss

No more squandering, holding on to every bit

I consume and share less, I contemplate

Fewer needs, less chase, open heart, embrace

More love, more peace, subjugate all my hate

Relegate, let it be, do not resuscitate

Instead of criticising, I choose to create

Instead of tearing down, try to build something great

Even if I fail, I'm never ever stressing

I've been so blessed, I try being a blessing

I find the power to let power go

My mind uncovered, the courage to say no

Take it all away, I still have everything left

Make the best of my time, find time for the best

I'm done chasing cars, catch me splitting bars

Life is never ever sparse when I look up to the stars

From trivial thoughts, I'll tender resignation

I will not lead a life of quiet desperation

I remember I can leave my life right now

I make sure I get to live my life right now

It's up to me, I must always allow

Myself a lot more time somehow

Yes.

My life is ending, it's working as intended

Second by second by second by second

It pushes, it rushes, breaks all the speeding laws

That's exactly why on this track I don't pause

Between two eternities I toe a fine line

My vast past flew by so fast it has been left behind

My future so unsure, it's yet to be defined

All I have is my now, now I'm in the nick of time

Killing time today can kill my soul tomorrow

Without delays I keep at bay my regrets, my sorrows

I'm put to test every day Yet I will not forget

Eternities are brilliant when each moment gets my best

I stop wasting my life I start appreciating

No more existing I have to start living

I don't procrastinate, I just do. Amen

I will not live through yesterday yet again

I view my world vividly through a painter's eyes

Feel all of those feelings that make poets sigh

I'm quick to feel cheer on the edge of a smile

My wonder, sincere. I'm pleasantly surprised

The candle of my vision is now forever lit

Its brightness so inspiring, too legit to quit

I scout for doors to open in the walls of my mind

I discover new tools take all the goodness I can find

My tools are not trophies bright and shiny on display

I use them, they grow me they remind me every day

That conditions for a lifetime of supply guaranteed

Are that I strive to find the time and use them consistently

I love the time I spend immersed and lost in a book

I love the time I slow things down to take a second look

I love my journey on every station, every track

I love my time with words, they always have my back

I don't make my words, my words they make me

From darkness to light, my words they take me

From water, from mud, they mould, they shape me

Like perfect imperfections, they give you all of me

Time is an ingredient for all that's imperfect

I'm okay being reliant on just giving it my best

Not infinity, a few million seconds left

No control, none at all of how much I possess

I confess that when I pause, no more distress

Yes, I can just be to me, that is success

I'll stop for now, look around delightfully reflect

I'll take a bow, my track is done. Look out for what is next.

Ever feel lost, is your mind in a twist
Do you feel no purpose, wonder why you exist
Think of frogs you never kissed, opportunities missed
Waiting for a sign? You're in luck. This is it

Nothing has meaning, my bars don't matter
Cause I'm talking to the void, where ideas get scattered
Why should I care, put myself out there
Bare my heart and my soul, to make you aware

I play a different game, I don't do this for fame
I'm in a league of my own, win or lose, all the same
The only thing I claim, my purpose, my aim
Is that my words will move you and make you exclaim

Help you reclaim, a part of you that's sleeping
Something you suppress, from all of us you're keeping
Let it out, express, make a plan
I say please, if I can, so can you
You can do it with ease

Your job pays the bills, insures your health and your teeth
It's all pretty grand, as you stifle what's beneath
You'll soon get to double, maybe treble your wage
A comfortable bubble, that turns into a cage

You have a nine to six, to get your daily bread
Are you trapped in a fix, feels tough, then instead
Of waiting in vain to find the right time
You're a star. Shine bright from six to nine

Your journey won't be easy, not a straight line
You'll stumble, falter, fumble, feel disinclined
This will payoff, I promise, in fact
I'll be right up front, when you're the opening act

It's my message in a bottle, it's a port in the storm
Open up, don't throttle, drink up, feel warm
You're capable of so much more, you see
Get going, move your ass to where your heart wants to be

You're worthy of love, you're worthy of praise
Your talents unique, you astonish, you amaze
Go on, say yes, see your magic unfold
Take a shot, be brave, be bold, strike gold

If something you do can make someone else's day
They might do more than before for folks in other ways
A little thing can be so big, you might be surprised
It starts as one ripple, makes the ocean rise

Turn your setbacks into strengths
And script your own pages
Tell your stories at length
Leave your trace in many spaces
Let your voice reverberate
In hard-to-reach places
Your presence felt by many
Though you've not seen their faces

Thank you in advance for taking these steps
Our world needs your stories, they're not secrets to be kept
Remember this for when you're striving hard late at night
Your name will light me up, before it's up in light

Your name will light me up
Your name will light me up
Your name will light me up
Your name will light me up

Wise people said, expand your mind
Through new points of view, leave your world behind
Zoom out, zoom out, get perspective
Make time, make space, make yourself objective

Go as far as you can, far away from home
Where distant voyagers now roam
Look back with love at everything that we've got
This is all we are, a pale blue dot

Each ruler, each celeb, every saint, every sinner
Each lover, each hater, all the losers, all the winners
All the heroes, the cowards, creators and destroyers
Each teacher, each preacher, all the workers and employers

All the brave explorers that took to the seas
Every single dictator, each apostle preaching peace
Every ditch digger, burger flipper, scholar, astronaut
Lived and died on our pale blue dot

All the winter snow and the springs filled with flowers
The fallen leaves of autumn, thunderstorms, rains and showers
Living each year, we revolve and we spin
And we thrive in every season, doesn't matter what it brings

All the life on the land, in the air, in the seas
Each leaf of each tree that's kissed by the breeze
The winds of fortune blow cold, blow hot
We do the best we can on our pale blue dot

Each person you know, each person you love
Born and raised in this place with blue skies above
Every human that was and every one that is
Calls the earth as home, that's all there is

All the mothers and the fathers and the sisters and the brothers
And our friends and our lovers and our sons and our daughters
Each connection with affection coming straight from your heart
Came to life with your love on our pale blue dot

All the suffering, the pain, the triumph, the glory
Each song ever sung, every memory, every story
Each astounding work of art, and every single picture
Every text ever written, every line of every scripture

Every joke that made you laugh
Everything that made you cry
Every win you ever had
Every drug that got you high
Every feeling that was felt
Each opinion each thought
All of them formulated on our pale blue dot

All the nations that are drawn up with imaginary lines
To unite us as people, yet they serve to divide us
People in power exploiting us for what it's worth
Gaining brief ownership of a small piece of earth

All the hate, the mistrust, the anger piles up until
We destroy each other, we're so eager to kill
Each skirmish, each battle, each war we fought
Has rained death and destruction on my pale blue dot

Our sense of self-importance, the way we grandstand
Our posturing stances, they get so out of hand
We harbour false notions of a privileged position
There is more to heaven and to earth beyond imagination

Does it really matter if my thoughts and my beliefs
are not the same as yours, will you still give me grief
Was creation all about us? Most certainly not
We're a lonely speck in the cosmic dark. A pale blue dot

The world may have been small for Alexander the Great
His coffin, big enough, that's right, that's everyone's fate
And when you know, regardless, that you and I will die
Our journeys will converge, we join the great gig in the sky

So stop

Pause

Listen

And breathe

Stop, pause, listen, breathe, and look around
We live in a world with wonder, just waiting to be found
We laugh, we love, we hope, we pray, we cherish all we've got
We show respect, we do our best on our pale blue dot

Each day, when I wake up, I know I have a choice
To make my heart and my mind listen to my inner voice
It's a voice that reminds me that I need to be kind
That's the only kind of legacy I want to leave behind

A legacy, what's that? It's when folks like you and me
Have planted seeds in gardens, they'll never get to see
Their todays made tomorrows better than we thought
We owe the same to the future of our pale blue dot

I think I'm important, I know I'm not
I'm just one of eight billion on our pale blue dot
But wait, there's so many of us
Goodness can multiply, that's more than a big plus

Acts of faith, of courage, and of love can be compounded
The audacity of hope should never be discounted
Start small, build up, things can be better than you thought
You and, let's light up our pale blue dot.