Eat them up make you big and strong

those were the words

spoken by my Mum.

She was making Brussel Sprouts

seem like a gift

from god,

but to me they were awful

made me want to heave

but I forced myself to please.

You see that was my life

no room to be bitter

to complain was pointless,

if you had holes in your shoes

then make a cardboard cut out

again and again,

at least it felt better

maybe it did

let in the rain.

You did not like the dinner

then simply put

don't eat,

that was how it was

when I was

just a kid.

You never spoke out of turn

like I think

or I want,

if you did

it was

just not heard

let alone

not heard of.

Life was tough

for Mum and Dad

god knows why they had any kids,

we just did

what kids did

played with other kids

on the street.

Yet deep down inside

I hated this life

wanted to escape run miles and miles,

never had guts

nor the where to go

so I did a paper round to make some dough.

Bought myself a bike

some clothes

as well,

cycled hundreds of miles

from London to the coast

and back again,

deep down inside

for the first time

I was allowed to dream.

Tough is tough

yet from it you learn

just who you are

about what you yearn,

about the things

that make you smile

you find a voice

you begin to write.

Sure you never heard of a mobile phone

never ever

knew what they were,

but you did meet a man

who sparked your dreams

his name was Yuri Gagarin.

You you can dream

step away from the mire

the failings of your own life,

you can reach for the stars

search for who you are

and for once in your life your able to smile

now I shout out

thank God I could dream.