An ode to Valentine's Day

Many of you might know the song "The Sounds of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel. This morning (at 3:30-5:30am) the words of this song took on a new meaning for me. 

You see, as an English Teacher I tried to make poetry writing and reading more accessible to my students by using a tool called, 'text-tapping'. They would take the words of a poem, and just change a few to make it their own. Then we'd have readings with cocoa and snaps, it was great and the students felt less afraid to share their work. Well, as the song went through my head last night, I remembered a version from my seminary days. It went something like this:

"Hello Laban, my old friend. 

I've come to get the plates again.

Remember me, my name is Nephi.

You tried to kill me, you're a mean guy...

And it's the sound of slicing". 

Obviously this has stuck with me... so much that I began the text-tapping process for myself last night:

"Hello heartburn, my old friend

I've come to feel your strength again

Because a burning softly creeping

Left its seeds while I was sleeping

And the burning that was planted in my chest

Keeps me from rest

Within the feeling of burning

I tried to sit as I waked alone

Narrow breaths and then some tums

'Neath the halo of a reading light

I turned my stomach to the left and right

When my throat was stabbed by the flash of a acid burst

That really hurt

And touched the feeling of burning".

I find it much more enjoyable to listen to the original and insert the words. Yes, I know the rhyme is off, but it was late/early... 

Enjoy. I'm hoping this "old friend" heartburn will exit stage left come the beginning of April.