Shane is a dynamic and charismatic artist whose performances are jaw-dropping in their expressive power. His delivery follows that of slam poetry and his performances and personae are at the vanguard of the live poetry circuit in the U.S., Canada & the UK.
His written work has been well received in Canada & the UK. The initial print-run for his book Visiting Hours dwarfed the industry standards for poetry books. Visiting Hours was recommended as a Book of the Year 2005 by the Guardian and the Globe and Mail.
Together with Mighty Mike McGee and C. R. Avery, he is the co-founder of spoken word, "talk rock" trio, Tons of Fun University.
Pulse
Shane Koyczan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And at night it glows red and green
and I’ve seen everywhere
so I guess in that sense the road really is my home
And I’ve got poem after poem of what it was like to miss a home-cooked meal
Of what it was like to wake up and feel my arm draped over your absence
Breathing in your skin like incense
And I bet you never knew that when I’m sleeping beside you, I wake up to make sure I’m holding you
As your breath is timed
with the in and out of mine
I rub my hand up your spine like it was the center line of a highway
with no stop signs
Hit the intersection where your shoulders meet your neck
and past the car wrecks of past boyfriends
Who parallel parked on dead ends
and I just hope your skin lends me an extra mile
So I can slow down,
take a while to admire the landscape
and drape my arm over your being there this time
When it comes to your skin,
I’m a drunk driver,
just trying to walk a straight line
And some days collapse on me like the nights
And I can tell I haven’t slept when the light peeks through the blinds
And finds me with my eyes wide open
Hoping I can take all these poems I printed on post-it notes
Fold them into tiny boats
Then launch them towards the shores of your skin
Where they can begin to colonize,
Take up roots in your eyes
Weigh anchor in the harbor of your thighs
Until the tiny hairs on your body begin to rise
Like a million flags brought to mass
And at long last I no longer have to roam
And I finally understand those sailors who plant their lips to the ground
I do the same to your body, it’s because you taste like home.
And what I said was I’ll miss you,
What I meant to say was that I love you,
What I wanted to say was that I meant what I said
I miss you like I miss my own bed
after too many nights of sleeping on couches
or hardwood floors
Or sitting silently behind the doors
Of hotel rooms became wounds
Breathing life in to this loneliness
I miss you
Like a burn victim must miss their own skin
I miss you like a sad ending
Must miss someplace new to begin
Because some say that the highway becomes a flat line
if you travel it for too long
I can’t tell if that’s true or false,
But I’m racing down it towards you trying to find my
Pulse
The lyrics to Shane Koyczan's song Pulse describe the feeling of being constantly on the move, yet feeling at home wherever he goes. He compares himself to a traffic light, with his flag being a representation of his constant traveling. He reflects on the memory of missing home-cooked meals and waking up alone, yet finds comfort in the presence of someone special. He expresses the desire to hold onto her when he is sleeping, feeling like a mountain not aware of being climbed, with their breaths in sync.
Line by Line Meaning
My flag is a traffic light
I am constantly on the move, like a traffic light that signals cars to go or stop.
And at night it glows red and green
Even in the darkness, my flag still shines bright, reminding me of my constant journey.
and I’ve seen everywhere
I have traveled far and wide, seeing and experiencing all kinds of things.
so I guess in that sense the road really is my home
The road has become my home, as I have spent so much time traveling and exploring.
And I’ve got poem after poem of what it was like to miss a home-cooked meal
I have written many poems about the feeling of longing for the comforts of home, such as a home-cooked meal.
Of what it was like to wake up and feel my arm draped over your absence
I have experienced the feeling of waking up and realizing that the person I love is not there with me.
Breathing in your skin like incense
When I am with the person I love, I am so close to them that I can feel and smell their skin, like a calming aroma.
And I bet you never knew that when I’m sleeping beside you, I wake up to make sure I’m holding you
I care so deeply for the person I love that even when I am sleeping, I make sure to hold them close throughout the night.
I feel like a mountain that doesn’t know it’s being climbed
I feel like I am a steady, strong presence in the lives of others, even though I may not always realize it.
As your breath is timed with the in and out of mine
When I am with the person I love, our breathing syncs up, showing how connected we are.
I rub my hand up your spine like it was the center line of a highway
I touch my love gently and firmly, like the center line of a highway that guides drivers on their journey.
with no stop signs
There are no obstacles in my love for this person, and I continue to pursue them relentlessly.
Hit the intersection where your shoulders meet your neck
I touch the person I love at the spot where their shoulders meet their neck, a place of vulnerability and intimacy.
and past the car wrecks of past boyfriends
I have experienced heartbreak and seen the wreckage left behind by past relationships.
Who parallel parked on dead ends
These past relationships were doomed from the start, like cars parallel parked on a dead end street.
and I just hope your skin lends me an extra mile
I hope that the person I love will continue to allow me to touch them and be close to them, even when it may be difficult.
So I can slow down, take a while to admire the landscape
I want to slow down and appreciate the beauty of the person I love, taking my time to be with them and enjoy their presence.
and drape my arm over your being there this time
I want to hold the person I love close and feel their presence, cherishing every moment I have with them.
When it comes to your skin, I’m a drunk driver, just trying to walk a straight line
I am so intoxicated by my love for this person that it is difficult for me to stay focused and in control, but I am committed to staying on the right path.
And some days collapse on me like the nights
Some days, the weight of my journey and my emotions feels overwhelming, like the darkness of night.
And I can tell I haven’t slept when the light peeks through the blinds
I can tell when I have not slept well because the light of day breaks through my window blinds and finds me still awake.
And finds me with my eyes wide open
Despite my exhaustion, I am unable to sleep and my eyes remain open, showing my struggle.
Hoping I can take all these poems I printed on post-it notes
I have written my thoughts and feelings down on post-it notes, hoping to find some clarity or comfort in my words.
Fold them into tiny boats
I want to take my words and turn them into something that can set sail and carry me towards the person I love.
Then launch them towards the shores of your skin
I want to send these words to the person I love, letting them wash over them like the ocean waves upon a rocky shore.
Where they can begin to colonize, take up roots in your eyes
I want my words to take root in the person I love, becoming a part of them and helping them to see the world in new ways.
Weigh anchor in the harbor of your thighs
I want to anchor my love in the most intimate and vulnerable part of the person I love, a place of shelter and safety.
Until the tiny hairs on your body begin to rise
I want to evoke a physical reaction in the person I love, bringing them to a new level of feeling and connection.
Like a million flags brought to mass
I want my love to be a wave of emotion and celebration, like a million flags at a parade.
And at long last I no longer have to roam
I finally feel at home with the person I love, and no longer have to wander alone.
And I finally understand those sailors who plant their lips to the ground
I feel a deep connection to the sailors who are so rooted in their journey that they kiss the earth when they reach their destination, as I am similarly anchored to the person I love.
I do the same to your body, it’s because you taste like home.
I kiss the person I love with the same sense of grounding and devotion, because being with them feels like coming home.
And what I said was I’ll miss you,
The words I spoke before did not fully express the depth of my emotions.
What I meant to say was that I love you,
What I truly wanted to say was that I love the person I am speaking to.
What I wanted to say was that I meant what I said
I wanted to emphasize that every word I spoke was true and sincere.
I miss you like I miss my own bed
I feel a deep longing and homesickness for the person I love, like missing the comfort of my own bed when I am away from home.
after too many nights of sleeping on couches or hardwood floors
I have spent many nights away from home, sleeping in uncomfortable places like couches or hardwood floors.
Or sitting silently behind the doors of hotel rooms became wounds
I have endured emotional pain and loneliness while being alone in hotel rooms, feeling trapped and isolated.
Breathing life in to this loneliness
My experiences of loneliness have given me a deeper understanding of my own emotions and how to connect with others.
I miss you like a burn victim must miss their own skin
My feelings of longing and missing are intense and painful, like the loss felt by someone who has experienced a serious burn injury.
I miss you like a sad ending
The feeling of missing the person I love is like experiencing the sadness that comes at the end of a story or experience.
Must miss someplace new to begin
I must move past the sadness and longing, and find the strength to start anew.
Because some say that the highway becomes a flat line if you travel it for too long
Routines and habits can become monotonous and boring if we do them for too long, causing us to lose our sense of purpose or direction.
I can’t tell if that’s true or false,
I am unsure if this cliché about the monotony of routine is accurate or not.
But I’m racing down it towards you trying to find my Pulse
Despite my uncertainty, I am pushing forward and making my way towards the person I love, searching for my sense of purpose and connection.
Contributed by Emma F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cody Laesr
Shane is one of the reasons I'm still alive right now... He's done alot of work that's touched home to me. All of his work touches me not all apply but they're gold. He's gold
BORELL1
Just found Shane (through a friend) feels like the best gift I've been given in years. I hear you buddy! stay on the planet :-)
Kimberlee M
Same
Cynthie Morris
I love Shane's poetry so so so much, it's made me cry and made me get up and keep going. Was the song in the background written for this poem or is it also separate? 'cause I love both this poem and the backing so much
Levi
all his poetry gives me life <3
MrShinnickNeth
You're definitely not alone, Levi. :)
Levi
MrShinnickNeth thank goodness, I've resorted to forcing my friends to listen to his SW in hopes that they'd fall in love like I did
MrShinnickNeth
Hopefully they will. I know poetry isn't everyone's cup of tea but Shane's is just so beautiful! It would be a tragedy for anyone to never hear them.
Levi
MrShinnickNeth agreed😊 and I must say your taste in poetry is amazing
MrShinnickNeth
Awww thank you, Levi.