Student Publishing Program ::

Taeho Choi

Revival

Tell me why that even when I follow you, I can’t catch up,
No matter how I reach out for you and desire to be with you,
I can’t touch your shoulder or your arms,
And even though you turn around to face me with a smile,
I could barely see you because I’m so far behind,

I don’t understand why I can’t be like you,
You were always so strong and filled with hope,
When you faced challenges that would overcome me,
You said it was nothing and simply stepped over them.

I’ve always seen you as my friend but also,
My guide, and my support,
Whenever I saw you, I would feel at ease,
Because you were so strong and willful,

But when I look deeper into myself I notice another light,
A light not bright and colorful but dark and depressing,
Afraid of what I see before me, I ignore it,
But now, when I see you,
The two lights conflict, each trying to engulf the other.

Then one day, you became sick in the mind and body,
You fell into temptation decided to try dangerous things,
When I saw you hurt, I had a mixture of feeling that grew and shrunk,
I was sad, depressed and wasn’t sure about what to do,
But then I noticed the obscurity broaden and engrave out,
I am happy, I am better, I am more than him.

You fell down and couldn’t get up,
I was happy that you were out of my way,
But sad because you were gone,
I guess I was jealous of you and your feats.

This happiness was short lived,
Once gone, I remembered everything good and nothing bad about you,
Now I question myself as to what I will do,
I finally reached my goal to beat and overcome the others,
But now I’m alone and with no goals to strive for,

So, I look in myself once more for the answer and see the light once again,
But this time the light is bright and radiant,
Its colors spell somehting out into my mind,
It writes down your name and your pains.

So, I go back, I step by step come closer to you,
And once I’m there I see you on the ground, helpess and near hopeless,
I feel another mixture of feelings but now the greatest of all,
Is the heartbreaking feeling of having a friend become addicted to a poison,

So, now, not out of pitty, but out of our friendship I’ll shoulder the burdens you once had,
I’ll stand in front and keep guard of the ones who come to take your life,
Make sure you rest and become who you once were,
The one that I admire and the one who I recognize,

But until then, I’ll be by your side and wait for you to get better,
And then on the day you get better,
I’ll walk to your side and finally grab hold of your arm,
To lift you up and so that we can finally walk as equals.

[TABLE OF CONTENTS, LHS CLASS OF 2011 EDITION]