Emotion and poetry - written or lyrical - are joined tightly together. Tears spring to my eyes when reading or hearing Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night by Dylan Thomas, as all of my emotions around my grandfather come surging forward. When I hear Beautiful Boy I’m transported back to the hospital when Alex was born, and At Last immediately reminds me of an early date with my future wife.

There are some words and notes that go way beyond that, landing squarely in what the Yiddish refer to as verklempt. Feelings stir and surge and memories flood upwards.

Summer Romance elicits that feeling; Tim Minchin is an artist I admire not only for his musicianship and uncanny ability to take a phrase and turn it in an unexpected and breathtaking way, but also for his humanity. Tim is real and in his lyrics there is the depth and certainty of someone who is writing from experience.

This song takes me back to all of those “almosts” and “might have beens” in my past; there are a swarm of emotions ranging from joy to pain to sadness that come up every time. Some days I wander down the path of “what if” and other days I just feel; but I always end on gratitude. Those experiences made me who I am, and I’m grateful for all those who walked along with me, no matter how long or short.

There is comfort in these words; there is an attempt to hold on but at the end there is the realization that everything is temporary. That’s both the curse and the promise; everything withers and dies away, but there is a time when it is alive and we are privileged to be a part of it.

These moments never last / We both know that is true / I love you, you’re beautiful

Summer Romance

Wind blows
But I refuse to close the windows
Whether I'd enough for one more day
Let the leaves fall where they may
I'm holding on

Coatless
I'm heading out even though I know it's hopeless
I'll take my battle to the streets
Umbrella-less but undefeated
I'm holding on
I am holding on

Time wraps her arms around me like one of those timelapse
Photographic sequences of autumn
Sending in her debt collectors to
Wreak havoc on the trees of Hargate Woods
But I'm holding on
I am holding on
For one more day of sun

Sunlight
Bullied by the clouds as I run
Night is
Nipping at the heels of afternoon
It'll all be over soon
So I'm holding on
I am holding on

For one more day of sun
One more day of sun
These moments never last
We both know that it's true
I love you you're beautiful

It was just a summer romance
Now our time is through
I love you you're beautiful

These moments never last
We both know that it's true
I love you you're beautiful

It was just a summer romance
Now our time is through
I love you you're beautiful

These moments never last
We both know that it's true
I love you you're beautiful

It was just a summer romance
Now our time is through
I love you you're beautiful

These moments never last
We both know that it's true
I love you you're beautiful

It was just a summer romance
Now our time is through
I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you
(It was just a summer romance)