I Run West

Under the golden light.

The scenery comes to an end
But it mustn’t. I fight.

Cuz I’m tired of waiting in the dark.
So I run West with everything I’ve got.

The magical hue steals over the sky.
The beauty. The comfort. The safety.

If I can somehow keep up with her pace,
Perhaps she won’t reach the horizon.

But she moves gradually, with determination
Away from my love and the rest of me.

A slow descent.
But soon she’s out of my sight
I come to a halt
Out of breath, out of mind.

With my lungs completely depleted
I feel concretely defeated.
As the darkness looms over the sky
The moon dips me back into my pond of misery.
Eyes wide shut,
The reflection in the pond remains a mystery.

Despair chatters in silence
Until she returns with a scent of hope in the air.
Without a warning. Without a doubt.
That it is her that I still dream about.

“You never run fast enough” she says.
My excuses are just blare.

So I run West, after her
Without a word

Maybe today,
The scenery will be painted permanent
A field of four-leaved clovers

Maybe forever,
Somewhere without an ordinate
Just me, in her radiant exposure

But for now,
I run West.

Daeyong Lim is a Korean-Canadian vocalist, arranger, writer and an arborist based in Toronto. Born and raised in Seoul, Korea and grew up in Toronto, he’s on a journey to create art that celebrates the quiet and invisible parts of our society. You will find him performing at local venues and parks or aimlessly roaming around on his bicycle. Holler if you see him!