Never dreamed that he would be gone from me
If I could steal one final glance, one final step, one final dance with him
I'd play a song that would never, ever end
'Cause I'd love, love, love
To dance with my father again
Dance With My Father Again; Luther Vandross
On 11.05.2009, a close friend of mine passed away.
We traveled together.
We hip-hop(ped) together in a crew.
We composed together.
We worked together.
We always waited for each other
but this time, you didn't
Ain’t it funny how death brings perspective
On friends you’ve taken for granted?
Somehow, I always thought we’d die together.
I never realized it before, not until now, when the whole belief has been shattered. But we did so much together, we lived together, and I thought that we would end the same way.
But now, I understand that I never really knew you at all.
This old country doctor is finding it hard
To dig up seeds long since been planted. They called me the medic, the prodigy, but I’m not. I can’t heal anything worth healing—I couldn’t heal you, and I can’t heal him. It’s too late. It’s always too late. But still, I half believe that it’s not, because I still want what I always did.
It’s too hard to uproot beliefs ingrained upon the soul.
Now a friendship takes many directions,
And the facets in ours were unbounded We were an odd group, not people who really could have been friends, it seemed. But then, most of them were, the groups; we were only placed based on skill level, and balancing the competence.
But we were friends, in the end, I know it. I just do. Even though none of us acted like it, not even him, the best actor of us all. Because of that, maybe, our friendship went deeper than any. It had so many sides, no one could have understood it all—that’s why we were so close.
My teasing and prodding, I can’t help regret
My apologies, though, have been grounded I was just a nuisance to you, a nuisance to you both. I can’t forget it, and I can’t forgive it. Neither of you would forgive me either, although you told me it wasn’t something that needed to be forgiven. I would have liked to hear the words to lighten my burden, but really… I didn’t deserve it. I had—have—experienced so much less pain than either of you.
I was always so annoying, so useless, and I still am.
But the triangle only has two sides now,
And the two sides are not very sturdy
There’s just the two of us left, without you. Just me and him. But it’s so hard to keep it together—even harder now. He won’t forgive himself either.
We’re unstable; we’re drifting apart. And we can’t stop it.
It’s odd; you were probably the least friendly of all of us, but we still can’t do it without you. I guess three just makes it more steadfast, no matter how volatile the third.
Very few you dare to even call friend
Still I don’t think I’ll ever feel worthy
I can’t trust myself anymore. I won’t get close to anyone, because I failed you—failed you both. I’m not going to do that to anyone else—that I vow. I vow in your name, on your grave. I’ll stay away. I won’t hurt anyone anymore.
Then again, you tried not to make friends, but you still broke—shattered—too many hearts when you left.
You saved my life many a mission
And your logic helps fill my emotion You were always the best of us—I thought. Now, I’m not so sure. I never really knew you, and sometimes, I think that he was better, because he tried harder. But still, you saved us, countless times. Your skill was superior, at least. You were always so calm, so cool, so collected. It made it easier to concentrate, just a little.
But like a Georgian-made jewel, it’s missing the mint
I’ll long for your stoic devotion There’s still a piece missing now, no matter how much you hurt us all. You were still a key piece, the crowning piece. This faceted jewel shattered without you to complete it.
You were so strong, so determined. You always focused on your goal, never straying—almost never. Not like him; he didn’t stray either, but he was loud about it. He didn’t focus.
Now the brandy does not go down easy
And the feelings, well, they’re so hard to swallow The sake’s not much of a friend, really. I don’t understand how it can be so addicting—but it is, because it drowns the pain, just for a while. But pain is such a good swimmer, it always surfaces again.
And I just can’t take it. I can’t. It’s too hard.
Touching and touched, I’ll remember you such
Wherever you go, my thoughts follow.
We all touched each other’s lives—even me, and I hope I did some good, a little good. You told me you were sorry, and I’m still not sure if that was sincere.
Somehow, I think it wasn’t.
I still can’t stop thinking about you, though. Not ever. Especially not when I see him, looking so lost without the third side of our triangle. I don’t know what to do, and I wonder if you would.
It’s too hard to let go. It’s just too hard.
I can’t forgive, and I can’t forget.
Goodbye, my friend… Because now I know.
Everybody dies alone.