This is just beautiful! Is it really your birthday? If so, Happy birthday to you! If it's a day of rebirth then happy new life to you!

Shanky, as you know this brought a tear to my eye. I wasn't sure fully why it did but then I read it again and again and realised it's because you talk in depth about you, the struggles you've had to overcome and in a way the happy birthday to me at the end seems abit sarcastic like you have all this going on so can't really do with another birthday but maybe it's just the way I interpreted it.

Many years I was conceived
born of a beautiful Kenyan/Ethiopian heritage
With love I was brought up
clinging to the only truth I had.
^^
A truly beautiful opening giving us some insight to your background and I think the truth you were clinging to is that of your background.

Now I'm all grown up
leaving my hate behind
ready to embrace the light of a new world,
new universe,
place where peace, love and happiness come before ignorance and pride.
^^
Unfortunately, we all have to grow up. Some people grow up before others but wouldn't it be nice if peace, love and happiness came before ignorance and pride? But to often people but the latter first.

Today I stand,
alone I mourn,
the spirits of my fallen brothers and sisters
from birth to death.
^^
Very sad that we have to mourn for the loss of family and friends especially those gone before their time.

Long before my body malfunction,
may I learn to love again.
To live life empty of pain.
^^
I will say it again and again we all deserve to be happy and free of pain.

May I remember who I am.
Who I was born to be.
^^
You will get there. Ye who has faith.

Life in life.
^^
Life of what we make it.

Happy birthday to me.
^^
Happy birthday to you. Please don't dwell on what's gone, live for today.

(hugs)

Em

Hello Shanky

I love this. I particularly like the line
'long before my body malfunction'
Great stuff and all the best,
Ben