Dare to be a Daniel (for Tony Benn 3/4/25 -14/3/14)

Dare to be a Daniel, was the title chosen by Tony Benn for his early memoir, the first lines of the following poem are from an old salvation Army hymn that had been sung to him by his parents. I try to keep faith, dare to be different. 

Dare to be a Daniel,
Dare to stand alone,
Dare to have a purpose firm,
And dare to let it know.

Dare to stand with the voiceless,
the occupied daily denied,
stand shoulder to shoulder,
with  devoted  words of meaning,
committed breaths carrying no fear.

Seed the earth with love,
persistent grains of freedoms cry,
move forward with language of hope,
in blazing movements of united flow.

Seek out the hallmarks of truth and justice,
drink from the vessels of life,
keep faith as our changeless songs hum out,
in fearless cry, together we right their wrongs.

On the breeze, our voices lift,
for tomorrows bright sun to shine again,
leave footprints by rivers' waves of friendliness,
in flows of solidarity and stealth.

Dare to dream, forever speak your truth

be strident in your belief and strength

do not let paths of injustice, halter voice

dare to be Daniel, for the many not the few.