To Fear to Lose

I penned this poem this past May, a time when inspiration brought some of my best pieces ever. Not a person in the world, no matter how good-looking or outstanding, is spared from the fear of losing the one he or she loves. Love longs for security and usually never finds enough of it. God gave me this poem because He knew how often I need to hear its message; and I share this poem because I know many others would benefit from it as well. Love not from God is fleeting. True love, when given by God and based on God, can never be lost.

I often wonder why at all
That you would choose to love me so,
I trip, I stumble, and I fall,
I have no faults you do not know,
I am not beauty's prideful claim,
I have not charm's gentility,
My talents, skills are all the same,
If not much less, than what can be.

And with these thoughts within my mind,
I often fear that you would go,
I fear that I would lag behind,
Another's charms, another's flow;
Yet then my heart reminds my fear
That never did you love me so
Because of charms or manners dear,
Or anything that swiftly go;
Our love has friendship as its stand,
A friendship founded on the One
Whose plans we cannot understand,
Whose will, when said, is good as done.

Then why fear I that you would go
To seek what never did draw you?
You love me and I love you so
For who He is, for what He'll do;
And since I never can lose Him,
I know that I cannot lose you.

More Than a Song

I typed down these lyrics on the breakfast table at my cousin's house almost a year ago. The words were soon set to music by my cousin Theo, although I still haven't heard the whole piece myself. For now, this song is a reminder for me to not merely sing praises with my lips, but to pour out my life for my Lord and my God.

Verse 1:
More than a song, with my life I will worship,
All the day long, with my being I'll sing;
Be it heart, be it soul, be it all that I own,
I will live, I will give You alone.

Chorus:
Praise You, O Lord, I will praise You in the morning,
Praise You, O Lord, I will praise You in the night,
Praise You, O Lord, every moment I am living,
Praise You, O Lord, praise with all my might.

Verse 2:
More than a feeling, with rev'rence I worship,
Humbly I'm kneeling, before You to sing,
Be it now, be it then, be it then and again,
I will raise, I will praise You alone.

Bridge:
Over and over the years,
Giving You all that I am,
Freed from all trembling and fear,
Praising You all that I can...

The Gift

The conversation in this poem was inspired by the tale "The Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde, something I read in English literature class. Yet I have also drawn deeply from personal experience for this piece. My first composition in blank verse, this long poem answers a question for all who are patient enough to read and understand it...What is the best gift love can give?

The little boy came to the nightingale
And asked with youthful curiosity,
"Dear love-bird, if I deeply love a girl,
What present can I give to prove my love?
I've never loved a person more before
And want to give what no one else can give."
The nightingale looked on him long and sure,
"That present only truest love can give."

The little boy gazed at the nightingale
And asked with patient, slight uncertainty,
"Dear love-bird, if I want to give to her
What I can never give to someone else,
What present can I give to only her?
What present can I give to prove my love?"
The nightingale looked on him kind and long,
"That present can be given only once."

The little boy sighed at the nightingale
And asked with young frustration in his voice,
"Dear love-bird, will you please tell me today
What present's worth the most in all the earth?
I want to give what money cannot buy
For she is worth far more than jewels are."
The nightingale looked on him sweet and kind,
"This present's worth is irretrievable.

"Dear boy," the bird replied, "this special gift,
This present that you seek to give to her
Is never bought, though often rashly giv'n,
Is never earned, but granted undeserved,
'Tis what no other one can give to her,
'Tis what no other can receive but her,
Its worth is priceless, for there only is
But one in every human life on earth."

The bird continued as the boy, so filled
With love, did strain his youthful ear to hear,
"This gift is truer than fine silvery;
This gift is giving what is part of you.
Her heart can melt when you give it to her,
But you must give with warnings in your ear:
For this dear present, once given away,
Can never be outdone or taken back.

"If you should love her till the end of life,
Then only do you have the right to give;
But if you cannot love her till the end,
Then you should hesitate to grant this gift."
"Oh what's the gift?" the boy would want to know.
"No matter what the cost I'll gladly pay,
No matter what the work I will accept,
For I love her more than I love myself."

"The gift is simple, priceless, and profound,
'Tis given once, yet given not alone,
'Tis given with a record you must bear
No matter what may change in days to come.
The gift you seek is rightly named as--'First'
And it is given with whate'er you choose:
A song, a kiss, a hug, a word or three...
You give it only once eternally."

"Oh that is easy!" the young boy exclaimed.
"Oh no! 'Tis not!" the bird did reprimand,
"For once you give this gift away to one,
No human being can have it again.
You might give greater, better, stronger things,
But 'first' has ownership for one alone.
So please, be wary of what you decide,
For though you've found the gift, please bide the price."

The boy in love looked happy yet confused,
He's found the gift, but many warnings too.
"Oh be not sad," the love-bird sweetly said,
"For love would give what can be given now,
But save for last what's best among them all.
The choice of what to give and what to save,
Is yours to make, with wisdom, love, and sense,
And yours to keep throughout your days ahead."

The young boy hesitated for a while,
Then lifted up his visage with a smile,
"I think I've learned what gift is best of all,
'Tis not a gift of passion or of gold,
'Tis not a gift of words or one of praise,
But 'tis a gift I give once and for all."
And off he skipped to give his special gift,
While silently, the nightingale did muse.

"I hope that this one makes his choices well,
Lest I have one more saddened tale to tell,"
Spoke thus the bird, spoke thus the nightingale.

To This Place

This is a song that came to me when I was doing my devotions in our dorm prayer room several months ago. The more I come to know who I really am, the more I am amazed at the wonder of God's love and grace.

Who am I to stand before Your throne?
Who am I to be among Your own?
Who am I to claim a part when You had rolled the stone?
Who am I to come to You alone?

Who am I to have Your hand in mine?
Who am I to know Your love divine?
Who am I to claim a part and at Your table dine?
Who am I to witness Your design?

Amazing love...amazing grace...
Amazing glory in Your face...
Amazing mercy that would cover my disgrace
And bid me enter to this place.

想起你 (I Remember You)

Even though the Chinese language may be my mother tongue, it is definitely not my mother pen. Thus, I was so happy when this song flowed effortlessly when I was walking around campus. To those who could actually read these lyrics (hehe), please keep in mind that this is basically a pop song. Don't read it as a wisdom piece, for it is not written to be so. It is just a mushy love song about remembrance and romance. Hey, I get to have silly girly moments too, right?

路中初吻的回憶

互換眼神的呼吸

樹下雍抱的情意

恍然地想起你

雨中同傘的天氣

交換軟糖的甜蜜

夕陽散步的美麗

想起便想起你

一百一千一千萬分

的柔情蜜憶

不停地回轉於我的記憶

一百一千一千萬分

的捨不得你

不停地教我不能夠放棄

路中吻別的回憶

互訢愛你的信息

十指緊扣的情意

教我無法忘記

一旦想起，不自禁想起你