Alessandra Liverani (Wollongong, Australia)

Even if your life is hard
Even if your face is scarred
Even if the road is rough
Even if your meat is tough

Even if your friends aren’t true
Even if you feel so blue
Even if you are confused
Even if you always lose

Find some laughter in the pain
Chortle through the endless rain
Don’t be afraid to laugh about
Your constant feeling of self doubt

You can endlessly be amused
By the fact you always lose
And then you’ll never lose again
You’ve forged gold ingots from the pain

(Sydney, Australia - 2007)