YAMABIKO (Mountain Echo)
NakamuraEmi
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This mountain trail I embarked upon is littered with shards of glass
It’s proof of the warnings left by those that couldn’t overcome and tearfully gave up
That stabbing pain, a pain that shoots right through your heart and brain
I’ve got no handkerchief to wipe my tears so I wipe them with my shirt and face forward

From here I can see the high school I was in
“I shone back then” “Now of course I’m insignificant”
That depends on yourself, don’t you want to shine more than then
More than then, more than then, more than then, more than then

Right, my original dream was hoping “someone help me, someone push me forward”
I’ll believe in myself
Those nights I rest my head on my arms only to frantically find myself asleep on the floor
will someday be the spark that ignites rising fireworks

If I head up, I can’t hear a thing on the trail
Just the sounds of my feet shuffling and my panting breath
Whether tomorrow will come just the same, Japan teaches me unknowable things
But believe in tomorrow and walk on, walk on the steep mountain trail

OhOhOhOh, On my mountain trail, OhOhOhOh, My screams
OhOhOhOh, My echoes in the mountains, OhOhOhOh, Resound in my heart

Just start this very minute, to grab that flag at the peak
If gripping a pen is your own path
If patiently saving up is your path
If walking every day is my path
If riding a wave is his path
If being in front of a PC is my path
If being fashionable is her path
If gripping a knife is your path
If tilling the earth is my path
If embarking on a trip is that kid’s path
If gripping scissors is your path
If memorizing cocktails is his path
If gripping a drill is their path
If holding children’s hands is the path, is the path

The height of the peak isn’t something to compare with your neighbor
Believe in yourself until the peak, the strength to walk on is everything
If you have to retrace your steps to get back to where the peak is right before you
That’s also courage, wipe those tears
Climb up as many times as you need and face forward!!

OhOhOhOh, On my mountain trail, OhOhOhOh, My screams
OhOhOhOh, My echoes in the mountains, OhOhOhOh, Resound in my heart
© Shane D. Anderson 2015. All rights reserved.