Lyrics & Prose
Ever had an earworm but they're just your own intrusive thoughts? That's how I write songs and poetry.
I don't get a choice.
It's like my brain will physically not let me focus on anything else lest I forget the words, line order or the rhythm of the delivery. It will play on repeat in my head over and over until I write it down.
Only then will I finally be able to think of other things again.
CONSENT: The Musical
A series of lyrics brought to you by fever dreams caused by falling asleep to Em Rusciano's
Emsolation podcast.
NO
Anything other than a freely given 'yes' is a 'no'.
Anything other than a non coerced 'yes' is a 'no'.
Anything other than an enthusiatic 'yes' is a 'no'.
Anything other than a self assured 'yes' is a 'no'.
Anything other than a well considered 'yes' is a 'no'.
Anything other than a twice confirmed 'yes' is a 'no'.
What about a shrug? A 'no'.
An 'I'm not sure'? A 'no'.
'Not yet'? A 'no'.
Moving away? A 'no'.
Being still? A 'no'.
Anything other than a freely given, non coerced, enthusiastic, self assured, well considered, twice confirmed 'yes' is a 'no'!
But what if-? NO!
ASSENT
Do you remember when she said she wanted a kiss then pulled away?
When you were invited to come on home then told to stay?
They said that they were fine,
Maybe agreed at the time,
But his behaviour in the moment simply didn't say the same?
Consent is a legally recognised agreement,
While assent is not.
What is spoken or written is law,
But what you do at the time is not.
It's really up to me,
Who I want to be.
Does what they say match up to what my eyes can see?
Unless you want to take a risk and miss her,
You gotta make sure that you've got the whole picture.
HOW CAN I BE SURE?
How can I be sure,
That what happens behind closed doors,
Is exactly we both-
-Or all!-
-Have been waiting for?
"Because I Wasn't Allowed To Know""
In October 2024, ACON launched the The Loud Way Home, a book of Queer stories from abuse survivors. Hosted at The Red Rattler Theatre in Sydney, I was honoured to be asked to share my chapter.
The book is now on tour, and at the beginning of November I shared my story as part of a panel at the Full Stop Conference.
"The End Of The World"
This one kept me awake for two nights and trapped me in the shower for an irrationally long time. Thankfully once I got it out I was finally able to get to sleep. This is the full song as I wrote it, but there may come a time I return to it to develop it further.
Hate controls it all
So much can be done to try and stop the fall
But they wanna point their fingers
And so the hurt lingers
Everyone stays stuck in a loop of their triggers
While around us the world's burning to the ground
There's only so hard that we can fight
To bring their dirty laundry into the light
Because love is love and to whatever's above
No matter what side we're on when it's all said and done
We're all coming now the world's burning to the ground
Far too many can't find where they belong
All our lives we have been alone
From our rainbow wings to the colour of your skin
Forced to fight against the worst of their sins
We kinda don't mind the world burning to the ground
It's so hard to try and control myself
When all I wanna do is scream and cry for help
Because with innocents dying and governments lying
I really don't mind being the person trying
To spark the match that burns it to the ground
Won't you take my hand?
Stand by me as a friend?
If I play my part and steal your heart
Are we side by side when the world restarts?
It's burning to the ground
I ask you all to please
To wash away the pain and the tears
Take your children and hold them close
PNT or me just love us both
Before our blood is on your hands again
Before you don’t have the chance
Before the world burns to the ground
Come fire or flood it’s all coming down
"Will You Remember?"
Written... somewhere between 2011 and 2015, it definitely forshadowed what was to come for the relationship I was in at the time. It had an alternating chorus to acknowledge the dual perspectives because I enjoyed songs that told stories that way (shoutout to Eamon and Frankee).