Dramatic representation of a struggle for meaning.

Truth In Paradox

New & hot: Folk & Singer-Songwriter

It was late 2016. She was struggling to compose, struggling to design. She was just struggling. And so: peace became her. In layers, in waves.
Or something like that.

Writer's Block #1

This was my first ever commission - to commemorate the centenary of my old school, The Hammond

I WILL KNOW by Jordan Li-Smith

I STAND UPON A GUIDING LINE, 
A DESTINY THAT’S MINE,
BUT WILL I KNOW
THE DREAMS I COULD PURSUE, 
AND ALL THAT I MUST DO, 
BEFORE I’M OUT OF TIME...

WHICH TURNS TO TAKE, WHICH PATH IS RIGHT?
ARE ALL MY CHOICES BLACK AND WHITE?
WHAT COLOURS WILL BE COLOURING MY DAYS AS I GO ON.

IS LIFE AN UNEXPECTED DANCE OF TWISTS AND TURNS YOU CAN’T FORESEE?
A CLOUD THAT HANGS ABOVE YOU THAT WILL CLEAR EVENTUALLY?
OH, I DON’T KNOW,
PLEASE HELP ME GROW -

INTO A WORLD THAT’S FULL OF LIGHT
WHERE I CAN SEE THE PATH IN SIGHT.
AND ALL MY INHIBITIONS CAN BE KEPT AT BAY 
IF ONLY THAT WAS POSSIBLE FOR JUST A DAY.

HOW WILL I KNOW
THE FEELINGS THAT I’D FEEL, 
THE TIME IT TAKES TO HEAL, 
WITHOUT A GUIDING HAND.

THE WISDOM THAT YOU’D WISH TO GIVE,
FOR MOMENTS I HAVE YET TO LIVE,
A SIMPLE KEY TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT LIES AHEAD.

IS THERE SOME SORT OF LIFE AFFIRMING MOMENT THAT YOU CAN'T IGNORE?
BUT HOW CAN YOU ABANDON WHAT YOU’VE NEVER KNOWN BEFORE. 
WHO KNOWS, IT COULD BE BIG OR SMALL?
I MIGHT NOT EVEN KNOW AT ALL?
COULD I BE DISAPPOINTED OR RELIEVED...

WITH ALL THAT I HAVE LEFT BEHIND,
THERE'S SO MUCH MORE I’VE YET TO FIND.
BUT I KIND OF GET THE FEELING THAT I’M ALMOST DONE.
FUNNY, WHEN MY LIFE HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN.

HOW COULD I SPEND A LIFE OF WONDERING WHAT’S IN STORE? 
A LIFE WHERE I DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR. 
I STAND BEFORE AN OCEAN WIDE,
AND JUST BEFORE MY FEARS COLLIDE,
THE MUSIC STOPS, AND AND SUDDENLY IT’S TRUE. YOU ALWAYS KNEW...
(AND WE’LL BE STANDING SIDE MY SIDE
- FOREVER MORE EACH OTHER’S GUIDE...)

HOW CAN I SIMPLY WONDER WHY? 
I MUST LET GO TO FLY,
FOR I WILL KNOW!
AND ON A DISTANT DAY,
IN AN UNSUSPECTING WAY, 
YOU MIGHT JUST SAY - HELLO?

YOU’D LIFT ME UP, I’D TOUCH THE SKY,
IT NEVER REALLY WAS GOODBYE...
FOR NOW I KNOW. (OUR TIME HAS COME TO STEP INTO THE LIGHT AND SHINE.)
FOR NOW I KNOW! (IT’S TIME TO TELL A STORY OF OUR OWN DESIGN.) 
THE THINGS I THOUGHT WERE LOST ARE NEVER GONE,
AND SO WE JOURNEY ON.
A HUNDRED YEARS WILL COME AND GO,
BUT EVEN ON THE DARKEST NIGHT WE’LL GLOW,
FOR THEN WE’LL FINALLY KNOW!

THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
THANK YOU FOR ALL I WILL, AND ALL I NOW KNOW.

I Will Know - DEMO

A live cover of Kids by MGMT performed a recent Open Mic. Recorded on an iPhone, hence why it sounds like shit. 

Enjoy x

Kids (Live MGMT Cover)

Shetland Christmas Carol Album 
by Beacon 
Track performed by Shoormal
Joyce McDill, Freda Leask, Donna Smith, Trevor Smith, Gregg Arthur, Gordon Tulloch, Archer Kemp and Jonathon Ritch

Beacon Christmas

In The Bleak Midwinter (Shoormal version - Lead singer Joyce McDill)

Surrendering the circle of the skies
I wake into an all too yellow cram
Of life on death unripe to realize
The apple in the rowan tree I am...

The Apple in the Rowan Tree

Archy Bates