Shihaba

Even if I swear life isn't fair in a song
There's more than part of me hoping that I'll be proved wrong
The disappearing view from my, my ivory tower
Do I let what I feel decompose to powder?

What is my life worth, if I let that die?

That ideal, that I feel
Don't seem so surreal

What is my life worth, if I let that die?

Let me tell you 'bout the story of Shihaba
Of adventure of disaster of dreams worth chasing after
The first born of six little sisters and brothers
Duty bound to help her mother, it was second nature to help another
See that was bread and butter but she would hold it down at school
Not every kid can afford a phase of being a fool

Locked in family routine still a teen, future still a dream
The view of the world from home - all's not as it seems
Picture when she graduated, the freedom that activated
It hurt when her mum begged her to stay but she was motivated
By, the rite of passage, sky opened up before her
As she imagined what it'd be like across the water
With the desire inside for living the life only the fire burned

Will she be the same when she returns?

Even if I swear life isn't fair in a song
There's more than part of me hoping that I'll be proved wrong
The disappearing view from my, my ivory tower
Do I let what I feel decompose to powder?

What is my life worth if I let that die?

So she saved up for a year and used it
A return ticket to Europe
Excited eyes below a disguise of a naive tourist
One stop on the way included where her mum and dad were born
Sri Lanka just a postcard 'til she flew in at dawn
Warmly welcomed by family she'd barely met
A visit that was too short, now she back up on a jet

And she clicked between the channels in her seat, stretched her feet
Got the feeling that freedom was found at thirty thousand feet
Fell asleep, but woke up to "This is your pilot speaking
Immigration slips we give you need completing
Please be seated as the plane descends"
Her heart beat faster then
Thinking 'bout all the adventures in the months that lay ahead
And below in the snow of Glasgow... she stared

And she remembers what her dad said just before she left
Of the importance of appreciating how adept the culture will enrich you
Illuminate the bigger picture, the greater issues, that despite it all unite us

What is my life worth, if I let that die?

You need clear eyes to see it
The reason to believe in
The good in everyone even when looks are deceiving
We're all living breathing
Real life flesh and blood
The injustice huh, it never quite be enough
To kill human kindness
Sever the ties that bind us
Colour, creed or nation
Yo they're not enough to define us
Let the singular nature of our blood stain the great space
Close your eyes and see the human race

Her navy blue Australian passport
Did not stop customs being sceptical of how long her stay would last for
Raw fear and confusion and tiredness engulfed her
'I don't believe you, you're lying' is what they told her
(Come this way)
Meanwhile others looked on, passengers she sat near
They could hear her pleading, being dismissed by deaf ears
(She lost it)
It can't be happening, there must be a mistake
(Panic set in)
The tears that took it in were streaming down her face
(Breaking down)

Arbitrarily deported, reported and recorded
'Shut up and stop crying', official customs orders
A rite of passage - the sky opened up before her
Humiliated she was heading back across the water
Desire for a life lived, the fire burned
Will she be the same when she returns?

Even if I swear life isn't fair in a song
There's more than part of me hoping that I'll be proved wrong
The disappearing view from my, my ivory tower
Do I let what I feel decompose to powder?

What is my life worth, if I let that die?

That ideal that I feel
Don't seem so surreal

What is my life worth, if I let that die?

That ideal that I feel
Don't seem so surreal

What is my life worth, if I let that die?