Some years back the radio would be on in my car as I traversed rural Africa, visiting Mining companies. Quite of the songs I see as classics would be the background noise that would drown out the sound of the tyres on the road. Whenever I hear these songs it takes me back and one song in particular by Johnny Nash “I Can See Clearly Now” was played daily. The tune was catchy and how many people will remember “I can see clearly now, the rain is gone.” “It’s gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day.” Well, I decided that a parody would be a great as it really reflects my attitude, so here goes (helped along by co-pilot): 🎵 “I Can’t See Clearly Now (My Glasses Gone)” A parody for the over‑65 legend who refuses to admit he needs specs Verse 1 I can’t see clearly now, my glasses gone I’m squinting hard enough to bend the sun Every blurry shape becomes a cat Or maybe that’s my hat Honestly, who knows at this point Chorus It’s gonna be a bright… well, I think it’s bright Could be the fridge light Hard to say without my specs It’s gonna be a bright… possibly sunshiny day If that’s the window… Or the TV… I’ll get back to you Verse 2 I keep on patting down the sofa’s edge Found three remotes and a stale baguette Checked the bathroom shelf, the garden shed Turns out they’re on my head Classic me, but we don’t talk about that Chorus It’s gonna be a bright… or maybe just white Could be daylight Could be the neighbour’s porch It’s gonna be a bright… hopefully sunshiny day Once I find my glasses And my dignity In that order Bridge Look all around, there’s nothing but confusion Every shape I see is just an optical illusion But when I finally find those frames again I’ll swear I never lost them (Though everyone knows I did) Final Chorus It’s gonna be a bright… definitely bright ’Cause I’ve got my sight Back where it belongs It’s gonna be a bright… glorious sunshiny day Until tomorrow When I lose them again Guaranteed

Verse 1: Shattered promises lie on the floor,Trust once strong, now no more.A friend I thought I knew,Turns to shadows breaking through. Chorus: In the darkness, I find my way,Lost but hopeful through the gray.Hold on tight, I won’t stray,In my heart, I will stay. Verse 2: Memories fade, slip away,Colors bleed into gray.Pieces I try to hold,Turn to dust, cold and bold. Chorus: In the darkness, I find my way,Lost but hopeful through the gray.Hold on tight, I won’t stray,In my heart, I will stay. Verse 3: Questions echo in my mind,Truth and lies entwined.Walking through this storm alone,Lost in doubts I’ve never known. Chorus: In the darkness, I find my way,Lost but hopeful through the gray.Hold on tight, I won’t stray,In my heart, I will stay. In my heart, I will stay.

hiiii, I just found these lyrics in a box in my closet…and they felt raw in the best way. So I’m turning this into a community songwriting collaboration. Use this as your starting point and build your own song from it. Or use any inspo of your own and just copy the structure. LYRIC PROMPT — “OH MY” Start with: “Walking in the rain never felt right” Use the idea: Someone comes in, changes the feeling, but you already know how it ends………… STEP 1 — ANCHOR → CHORUS Anchor (1–2 lines)• Write a real moment (place + feeling)• Keep it simple and specific Turn it into a chorus:• Ask: who changed this feeling?• Say what they do to you (emotionally)• Repeat the main idea in a simple way→ this becomes your hook STEP 2 — BUILD VERSES (2 lines each) Verse 1• The moment they enter• What shifts immediately Verse 2• The pattern• What keeps happening Verse 3• Awareness• You know, but stay STEP 3 — PUT IT IN ORDER INTRO — anchor (1–2 lines)PRE-CHORUS — build tension (2–3 lines)CHORUS — main idea / hook (4–6 lines) VERSE 1 — 2 linesCHORUS VERSE 2 — 2 linesCHORUS BRIDGE — truth / realization (2–4 lines) VERSE 3 — 2 linesCHORUS OUTRO — return to the anchor, changed (1–2 lines) Drop your lyrics

I created this using the first lesson prompts: [VERSE 1] — fragile, exposed I laid down what I couldn’t name, covered it softly under sand. Its echoes trembled in the dark, waiting for one last command. [CHORUS] — breath‑like, emotional centre Hold me in this quiet light, long enough to come undone. Let the dust fall off my skin, show me what I’m running from. [VERSE 2] — the tunnel / emergence Through a narrow throat of earth I pulled myself toward something new. And when the daylight touched my bones, I knew what I was crawling through. [BRIDGE] — the shift, the thin‑light moment I felt the weight release its claim, a softer truth beneath the fear. The part of me I thought was gone was only waiting to appear. [OUTRO] — quiet landing A thinner self, a quieter breath, rising from the dust I buried.

TURN A POEM INTO A SONG 🖤🌸 THE RULES 🌸🖤 1. START WITH A POEM Something you’ve already written… or write something now. Don’t worry about structure. You’re simply verbalizing an idea. This becomes your ANCHOR… and later, your CHORUS 🎶⚓️ 2. BUILD 3 VERSES (THE THREATS) 🔥 VERSE 1: BETRAYAL 🔥 VERSE 2: LOSS / PAIN 🔥 VERSE 3: CONFUSION 3. CREATE A CHORUS (ANCHOR) ⚓️🎶 Pull from your anchor idea. Repeat it. Strengthen it. 4. RAISE THE STAKES 🔥 Each verse gets heavier. Push the emotion deeper. 5. LEAVE THE END OPEN 🖤 No perfect resolution. Let the listener FEEL and DECIDE. 🖤🌸🎶🔥 FORMAT EXAMPLE 🔥🎶🌸🖤 🔥 VERSE 1: BETRAYAL (line) (line) 🔥 VERSE 2: LOSS / PAIN (line) (line) 🔥 VERSE 3: CONFUSION (line) (line) ⚓️ CHORUS (ANCHOR) 🎶 (repeated hook) 🖤🌸🎶🔥 EXAMPLE SONG 🔥🎶🌸🖤 🔥 VERSE 1: BETRAYAL Trusted mirrors that cracked in pain Every reflection a piece of my shame 🔥 VERSE 2: LOSS / PAIN Fell to the floor, life out the door Shattered in pieces, blood on the floor 🔥 VERSE 3: CONFUSION I don’t recognize who I am anymore Am I the pieces or the light of the show ⚓️ CHORUS (ANCHOR) 🎶 I’m a disco ball, broken as I shine 🎶 Every shattered piece catching all my light Put me back together watch me come alive I am never lost… scattered in the night 🎶 🖤🌸 DROP YOUR SONG BELOW 🌸🖤 🎶 READ OTHERS 🔥 SHOW LOVE Please don’t worry about perfection. Later we will step into a classroom to refine and shape these lyrics. Today, we are simply writing the bones of a song… one that comes from your original poetry 🖤🌸 Tagging those below that have posted poetry in ink & Alchemy that is perfect for this challenge!! @Cynthia Keffer @Jasmon Flowe @Faiza Writes @Timothy Lenhart @Jason Strickland @Gareth Parkes