What's in a Name?

BEN



There once was a boy named Ben
Who did ballet all day long , and then –
He made Colin laugh –
While Grace had her bath
Then was left alone to play in his den.

The yellow sun – smiling – in our room.
The rude red of Grace is absent.
Just Colin and me – myself and Colin –
No-one to interrupt this magic.

He said he was my buddy
He said he was – my pal.
But now he’s dead –

Grace won’t get out of my head
– And I will not get those tall shoes now.

LAILA

Longing for a friend to share her dreams,

Laila sits on her patch of grass and waits for her life to change.

She looks up at the sky that moulds into her name,

Laila - why can't things be normal again?

Married at seven, "you’re beautiful", who cares?

She wishes to just dance into the night and forget about tomorrow -

- and the next day and the next and the next...