The lyrics are really symbolic and heartfelt. It's very poetic and I love the way it flows. The listener can visualize and empathize with the singer/writer.

Combine that with Birdy's simple piano instrumentation and gorgeous voice and you have literal perfection. She's soul personified. Enthralling. Her voice shakes and she occasinally gets off pitch but you can feel her feel the music as it moves through her fingers and up to her throat and out into the air through her mouth and piano. She is magic.

Freedom is dead,

It's an illusion that many believe,

And few see through.

Those who see through it,

Are declared insane,

For how can freedom be dead?

Wouldn't we know if it was?

My only question to you is simply this:

If freedom was indeed dead, would you know? Or more accurately would you want to know; or would you rather live your life ignoring the harsh truth?

- Michael Hall

In regards to non-fiction, you basically haven't lived if you've never read The Book of General Ignorance. Look it up.

As for classic works, Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice is an undersung masterpiece. The subplots and controversy it brings to the table is not only way ahead of its time but downright brilliant. (Reminds me of how scholars argue over good ol' Austen's P+P being satire or naaah.) Shakespeare, beyond all the sex jokes, never quite lets you know HIS opinion; only those of the characters he creates.

If you like history and also brilliant writing, check out Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay.

It's originally in French (can't recall the the translation I read) but it was glorious from beginning to end. A really captivating book.

I'm also a fan of legal thrillers. I read John Grisham's The Appeal on the beach in San Diego in two afternoons. Couldn't put it down, and also conveniently "forgot" to put it back on the shelf in the vacation rental...ended up taking it home with me. Oops.

I know beyond all doubt that God and the Devil exist within us all. They are the yin and yang of our human psyche and we fight a continuous battle as they both fight for control of us.

I know that mankinds greatest achievement is yet to be realised when we finally end war, famine and poverty, and I believe that it will come.

I know that our universe is big, it is almost unimaginably vast and even travelling at the speed of light it would take such a huge amount of time to see it allthat it is very unlikely we will ever see beyond our immediate neighbouring systems in any meaningful detail, and beyond them I doubt we will ever venture.

I know that real, proper, true friends are so damn rare that I count myself so lucky to have just one. If you have just one true friend you should consider yourself fortunate.

I know that love conquers all. Love is blind, deaf and all consuming. Love is the peanut butter in my sandwich, the bubbles that fizz in my mouth when I drink Coke, and the vanilla in my ice cream. Love is our greatest and most powerful emotion and is also the most common thread that binds us all.

I have to finish not on an "I Know" but on an "I Think", and I think:

That the speed of light is not the be and end all it is said to be. I am aware of how clever you have to be to be a scientist or a mathematician, and I recall that it was not all that long ago when they told us that the earth was flat, and that the sun moved around it. I think that the speed of light will be bettered in some amazing discovery yet to come.

I do not think that proposed theories for multiverses and multi realities have any foundations in fact. I think it is all bunkum.

And finally, I think we should stop throwing vast amounts of cash sending vehicles to other planets just so we can say we can do it, and that is a clunky sentence so I apologise here and now for it. Look at it this way, a fish in an ocean does not concern itself with other oceans or seas, it concerns itself with just getting by and I think we would do well to follow its example. Let us better ourselves and our neighbours by investing our taxes in our lives.

Oh, and green is the new black!

Everything I ever wanted

Was handed to you

On a silver spoon

While I was caged

And bound by chains

Punished

For moms mistakes

You were rewarded

While I was bruised

Nothing I did

Could compare to you

So how is it now

That I am here

And you - In the grave?