V.I.P.

a poem Sinéad published on February 20th, 2010 in response to the findings of the 2009 report (the 'Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse,' commonly called 'Ryan Report').
'V.I.P.'
[ Preacher:]
Someone say, 'Boldness'.
[Congregation:]
Boldness
[Preacher:]
The Bible says in Proverbs 28 verse 1 'The righteous shall be bold like a lion.' Bold like a lion. Bold like a lion. The righteous shall be bold like a lion.
What is a real VIP?
Do we have the balls to go to that party?
Or do we rather stay and dance with vanity?
Tell me now what's a real VIP?
And who are we to give that name to us?
When we don't know the lives of others
When we can barely raise a finger
To help our own sisters and brothers
Wasn't it in history
The artists always spoke their people's needs
Now we're gorged upon what devils feed
In the shallow form of MTV
Telling the youth to worship futile dreams
And along for bling and for material things
I tell you what a real VIP is
A face that never was nor will be kissed
To whom exactly are we giving hope
When we stand behind the velvet rope
Or get our pictures taken with the pope
Like some sick April fool kind of joke
Who is the really really real real VIP
The one the true and the most conquering king
Who looks around at everything
And sees exactly what we've been
His is the face that never was nor will be kissed
Do we think we'll be down on his guest list?
When we're standing at the gate
After being fashionably late
There'll be no make up and there'll be no film crews
No Vuitton bags and no Manolo shoes
When he's presiding over you
Asking you, 'Did you love only you,
Or did you stand for something else
Besides the hankering for fame and fame itself?'
The one who always was and always is
Will show you what a real VIP is
The fatherless
The motherless
The ravaged child at home who cried to you
You will be asked to say what did you do
And what's behind this velvet curtain?
Don't know but I can say for certain
A face that never was nor will be kissed
Will show you what a real VIP is
[Whispering:]
How can you say we are wise and we possess the instruction of the Lord? Certainly for nothing your pains are labored for nothing your righteous are written. The wise will be put to shame. See? They reject the word of the Lord so their wisdom amounts to nothing. They dress the wounds of my poor people as though they are nothing saying, 'Peace peace,' when there is no peace. Saying, 'All is well,' when nothing is well.
.
[Whispering:]
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning it is now and ever shall be, world without end. Oh Yeah.