He asked her once,
   He asked her twice.
One would think
   That would suffice.

Instead she turns
   her gentle cheek,
“I won’t go out
   with such a geek.”

“Well fine” he says,
   a bit dismayed.
Inside, it’s like
   a small grenade.

“I wouldn’t want
   to be with you,
you silly, goggled
   kangaroo.”

Taken aback,
   she hides away
the lunch she’d brought
   for him today.

Again they part.
   ”It’s not today.”
They tuck their feelings
   safe away.

Instead of what
   was meant to be;
The perfect…
   …two-part…
      …symphony.

This poem is a work of fiction.  There is no relation to any real people, organizations, events, or other names and phenomena.  It’s all made up.  If anything seems familiar, it’s just your imagination.

Oh Heart, you’ve let me down,
Chasing love where it can’t be found.
Heart, we’ve fallen out,
Cause all of your emotions
Have led me to doubt. Tell me who’s gonna save us now?

Dear Heart, you’re in the wrong place,
Looking out for yourself no matter what I say.
And I know that you’re holding me back,
And it’s time for a change, so I’m giving you away.

Heart, you’ve let me down,
Chasing love where it can’t be found.
And Heart, we’ve fallen out,
Cause all of your emotions
Have led me to doubt. Tell me who’s gonna save us now?

[...]

Heart, you’ve let me down,
Chasing love where it can’t be found.
And Heart, we’ve fallen out,
Cause all of your emotions
Have led me to doubt. Only Jesus can save us now.

The wind has become cold.
It has a nostalgic smell in the sky.
I can see the sea from the train station.
I’m looking for you, at this spot.

季節はずれのサーフボードに
あの夏はきっと生きてる
太陽はずっと覚えていたはずさ
ねえ、聞こえてる?

The days have changed and gone by,
But our summer is still there, in my surfboard
I remember the sun then, like it was yesterday
Ne, I can still hear your voice.

『涙を見せない』って
君はそう言って
ぼくたちは二人手をふった
『さよなら』は言わない
だから手をふった
ゆうやけに消えた I remember you

You said “I won’t show my tears”
We waved our hands. We won’t say “Good bye”.
That’s why we waved our hands. It disappeared into the sunset, I remember you.

さびたギターかかえるたびに
あの歌が胸の奥をつかむけど
今もまださえない日々
この場所で僕を過ごしてる

Every time I hold your old, rusty guitar,
I hear our song tugging at my heart.
The days seem so cloudy now,
Passing by one after the other.

だけど思うんだ『誰かのために』
きっと僕らは生きてる
太陽がきっと教えてくれたんだ
ねえ、聴こえてる?

But then I remembered:
“For someone out there,” we must continue on with our life.
Yeah, the sun must’ve told that to me.
Hey, are you listening?

『涙を見せない』って
君はそう言って
ぼくたちは二人手をふった
『さよなら』は言わない
だから手をふった
ゆうやけに消えた I remember you

You said “I won’t show my tears”
We waved our hands. We won’t say “Good bye”.
That’s why we waved our hands. It disappeared into the sunset, I remember you.

あれからの僕は
あいかわらずだけど
本の少し自信があるんだ
yeah yeah yeah

The me from then,
even if I didn’t change much,
started to believe in myself.
yeah yeah yeah

涙をこらえてる約束だから
誰よりも強くならなくちゃ
『さよなら』は言わない だって目をとじて
すぐに会える I remember you

Since it’s a promise made from the verge of tears,
I must be stronger than anyone else,
even if i didn’t say “Goodbye.”,
because if i closed my eyes, i will soon meet you. I remember you.

She is running
A hundred miles an hour in the wrong direction
She is trying
But the canyon’s ever widening
In the depths of her cold heart
So she sets out on another misadventure just to find
She’s another two years older
And she’s three more steps behind

Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?
Or does anybody even knows she’s going down today
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?

She is yearning
For shelter and affection
That she never found at home
She is searching
For a hero to ride in
To ride in and save the day
And in walks her prince charming
And he knows just what to say
Momentary lapse of reason
And she gives herself away

If judgement looms under every steeple
If lofty glances from lofty people
Can’t see past her scarlet letter
And we never even met her

VOICES FROM THE HEART
Date: Saturday, March 27 – 7:30pm
Location: St. John’s Lutheran Church, Willow St., Waterloo
Tickets: $10 regular; $8 seniors/students; children under 12 free

If what were really true…
What…would I wish for?

Right now…
I don’t really know what it is that I really wish for…

I…
Don’t even want to know.

What would you wish for?

Just a little more each day;
Consuming.

…I’m so happy, I could die.

On another note, Christmas is fast approaching.  I’m glad to say that I’ll be headed back home for Christmas this year; cue the song lyrics if you really have to.  It’s the time of year for giving.  Now maybe you’re a bit like me and get tired of giving things to yourself or people that you know (that you’re sure that they don’t need anyways)…  If you find yourself in this boat this Christmas, I’d like to give you a small nudge in a different direction.

Consider a poor child in a developing country whose family barely has enough to live, let alone give him or her a Christmas present during this festive season.  Thinking of that bright smile on his or her face when he or she receives a gift anyways, from a total stranger that cares?  Maybe you want in on this action too…if so, check out Operation Christmas Child.  Maybe you’ll make a difference in someone else’s life this Christmas.

Looking somewhere closer to home, perhaps?  If you’re interested in bringing smiles to sick children across the country (and other countries too), check out Child’s Play.  This nifty charity takes donations of toys for children, or just straight-up cash to make a child’s stay in hospital more bearable.

I know giving doesn’t seem like the intuitive thing to do when the economy isn’t faring the best, but you know what?  Sometimes things are not just about what feels right, but what actually is.  Let’s not forget that there are many other ways to give as well, non-monetary wise.  Take a moment and brighten someone’s day, and let’s make this Christmas a real time of giving, for everyone.