‘Light is life, and life is joy’
sang merrily the choir boy
whose ruffle hung around his neck,
which yesterday was on the deck
pinned down by bullies in the yard.
His life at school was very hard.

At home the picture’s not too bright,
for mum and dad do nowt but fight
and sister’s having Conrad’s kid
whose Grandpa will be Uncle Sid.

So life is dark for choir boy James
who plays alone his X-box games
and dreams of joy but doesn’t know it;
he longs for love but cannot show it.

At church he sings, escapes awhile
imagining, behind the smiles
what others are pretending too…
Where is this world – I wish I knew –
where light is life and life is joy,
for real, for now, for this choir boy?