Tag: I Wish

The Sound of You Still Echoes

I can’t help but think about our old kingdom, 

Remembering all the unnecessary papers in the room,

Stacked and spread around like skyscrapers in a city, 

It was a world of pure imagination, 

Paradise found in an unexpected place, 

Built simply by listening to you,

Listening to the way you loved your saxophone

I wish I could go back to those days with you once more, 

Why did those days ever have to go?

I remember the songs you used to play, 

Especially my two favorite songs, 

I can still hear the notes now,

Still feel the vibrations settle in my chest, 

I felt your love for music, 

Before I ever understood it. 

I watched you practice with intention,

Study with seriousness, 

Refuse distraction,

And be fully devoted to your craft, 

Something you truly loved. 

And that’s why your sound was always different,  

And why no one else could ever compare. 

I loved hearing you play jazz,

But gospel was something else entirely.

When you played,

I could feel your love for God,

It poured through every note,

And it was like a quiet offering of yourself to Him. 

You knew your talent came from Him, 

And you gave it back freely. 

Your praise didn’t need words. 

Your love for God lived in the music. 

You knew the songs I loved the most, 

You told me you were learning them,

Studying them carefully, 

Excited to show me what you’d been working on,

Eager to teach me, 

In ways I didn’t yet understand. 

You taught me the value of effort in music, 

And how it’s impactful in family and relationships. 

You showed me how to pour into others,

Shared how love and kindness carry weight,

Shared that what lives in your heart,

Will always translate through your work. 

I remember you saying people feel love,

And they’re moved by it, 

When it’s real. 

I learned so much from watching you play,

You taught me the meaning of hard work, 

The beauty of devotion, 

The power of knowledge, 

The simplicity of love,

The discipline that keeps it honest,

And the faith that anchored it all. 

Thank you for teaching me so much,

The sound of your lessons still lives with me, 

The sound of your love reminds me to be gentle and kind,

Not be afraid to give fully to others and to myself, 

The sound of you still speaks to my heart, 

The sound of you still echoes. 

Pure Imagination, I Wish

This room? Although it was a small, cramped room,
You always managed to make it big and wondrous
Like Wonderland for time was all messed up,
Time had gone mad and jazz was the only thing that made sense.

I remember all the unnecessary papers
Stacked and spread around like skyscrapers in a city,
There was no room to explore this confined, yet marvelous city
That you designed.

As the sound of your saxophone went wild in this world,
I found myself in paradise.
As a young boy, I was exposed to a world of pure imagination,
I was lost, but I was not afraid.

A few years passed, a new sound entered this universe,
It was the sound of percussion.
I thought the loud drums didn’t belong,
It couldn’t compare to your loving saxophone.

When I became a young man, the drums and saxophone were in-sync,
And we were the kings,
Our empire was glorious as we ruled it together,
Sadly, kingdoms don’t last forever.

You got older and forgot this world,
It wasn’t your fault, it was a cruel disease that murdered your sweet mind
A mind that shared love, wisdom and strength to me,
Reduced to confusion and terror.

I wish those days together with you would come back once more,
I wish this room was more than a room again,
I wish we could create sweet music together once more,
Why did those days ever have to go?

This is the end of the poem.

This poem is dedicated to my late Grandpa Jerry. His birthday was on Friday, and I was debating if I really wanted to share this poem that’s personal to me. However, the untimely death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant changed my mind because this is a poem about cherishing the moments and times that we have with our loved ones and to live a life of love and happiness. We can’t press the rewind button on life, and we have to treat every day as if it was our last day on this earth. I had great, loving moments with my grandpa that I’ll never forget. I cherish all the days that we had together because they helped shape who I am. My grandpa showed me the strength of faith, the beauty of writing, the magic of music and so much more. I love my grandpa so much, and I just wish those days with him would come back once.