Group 2

A friend was telling me that at some point He needed desperately to learn something new, He found a course for this at a night school But the available spaces were very few; He asked the school to send him some information Which they duly did one and a half years later; When he received the brochures he threw them away, By then he was working happily as a waiter. Most of our needs in life at some point Seem to be desperately essential But if we wait patiently, we will see The majority are merely inconsequential.

From childhood indoctrinated by the society To awaken from my dream, live in sobriety Learn the common standards, adhere to propriety Stay away from the unknown, reproach variety So I strove to live a life of self-righteous piety. Now old and decrepit, I dread With a heavy heart and a sober head I number among the living dead; The Angel of Death I'd gladly wed Ready for my last nuptial bed. Oh God How much I'd give To Learn, to Love, to Laugh, to Live.

Would I walk alone, walk alone If the whole world against me groan? Would I walk alone, walk alone If I were only skin and bone? Would I march on like Gandhi If the powers were turned against me? Would I dream like Dr. King And let my dream of freedom ring? Let it give the nation its moral wing If it only death me bring? Would I like Christ move ahead Even to the cross, final bed? If inspired with a righteous vision Would I make it into my earthly mission? And if all the world me abandon Would I walk alone, walk alone? To Mahatma Gandhi

In times of old heroes were praised Into human demigods were raised; Later with their message amazed, Multitudes on prophets gazed. Now heroic paradigm breakers Are but poets, leaders, makers Of worldly goods, or risk takers But none in life are frauds, fakers. This is not a heroic descent From demigods to mere leaders; It is the paradigmatic ascent From belly feeders to mind breeders.

We model our lives after birds of prey Violently strive, until dead we lay Nobody dares to question or say Why not like the trees, or cows eating hay? Sooner or later will come our last day And we'll ask ourselves, riding our soul's ray Was this the price I needed to pay? Or perhaps there was a better way.

In a land where I was a stranger To protect myself from danger I trusted in my incredible ability To hide behind my shield of invisibility; Perfected the art of not being seen By enemies behind my screen. This idea to myself I had sold Cut myself away from the entire world. I did not realize how I had sealed Myself inside my invisible shield For everyone else it was apparent My protective wall was transparent. Only when I threw away that shield From my fears, my psyche was healed. Facing my fears outside my box My only defense, what paradox.

I ask not to be freed from the prison of my birth, I ask to have my shell be free to roam the earth; The bird of my soul inside its cage can't take wing Yet if amidst trees and flowers, may begin to sing; My soul that is entrapped in its mortal cage A player, in costumes of sort, on life's stage. Though encaged in its costume for a day or three Can improvise upon the stage of life and roam free. The point is to sing amidst flowers and trees To see beyond the cage, not soullessly freeze. For in the end, every life to death shall lead The soul from its mortal cage shall be freed.

I didn’t put on my shirt, must be fate To move around half-naked, is my state Perhaps with grace of God, sooner or late A shirt will be put on me, if only I wait. Perhaps God may even drop it on my lap But I must pick up the shirt, myself wrap If I accept my flaws as fate’s map Irresponsibly fall in karma’s trap. Life’s purpose is my flaws understand Against my karmic flaws take a stand Full awareness of myself must demand With my highest truth my life command.