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.
Tomatoes
Shane Koyczan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How do you memorize all of that?
And the truth is the first girl I ever kissed, tasted like tomatoes
And I know this, because the second girl I ever kissed tasted like pepper
It wasn’t unpleasant
It’s just that I was expecting tomatoes
When I was a kid I learnt that time slows near a black hole
Whether or not this theory will ever be proved
I’m moved to believe this would be the perfect place to love someone
In grade 4 my gym teacher gave me the nick name half-ton
It was a name that stuck
I remember it, because it was the first I ever told someone
Go fuck yourself! and meant it
He quit calling me the name after he called my house
Trying to get me in trouble for what I’d said
To which my grandmother replied
Mr. Shithead, I told him to say it
I remember my grandfather’s blue tool kit
Where he hid a secret stash of raisins
I recall thinking: My granddad has the worst taste in candy
But he did teach me how to tie a tie
My first opportunity to apply this knowledge was my first date
A seventh grade class mate, who showed up wearing acid washed jeans and a Def Leppard t-shirt
I wore a suit and tie
When she asked why I was all dressed up
I had to think quick and I told her: I thought it would be funny
I don't wanna say it ended badly
But she wound up leaving me for a boy
Who could make farting noises with his arm-pit
I’m forced to admit - he was pretty cool
In fourth grade my teacher had a rule about speaking out of turn
Failure to learn and practice this lesson
Would result in having to sit outside
I know this, because I’ve tried it once
When she finally came out to check on me, she asked
What was so important, that it couldn’t wait?
Knowing that it’s rude to point
But needing to illustrate my position
I gestured to her chest and said
Your boob is hanging out
She quickly covered up and corrected me: Breast
She was a good teacher
When I was twelve, I was given an academic diagnostics test
Later the instructor informed me
I had an aptitude for history
He looked puzzled when I replied
Yeah, but that was yesterday. Today I’m more interested in tomorrow
I remember it
Because the next day I asked a girl if I could borrow a pen
When I offered it back she said
You should write me a letter with it first
So I did, wrote her a note
Which the teacher then intercepted and read to the class
It was something that we’d learnt in science that day
About the way gravity affects mass and weight
In relation to how quickly something will fall
Example
A crumpled ball of paper will fall at the same speed as a boulder of granite
It doesn’t matter how much something weighs
It stays the same until you consider surface area and resistance
At which point the persistence of gravity loses force
Example
Crumple a piece of paper into a ball
It will fall faster than a loose sheet
They are both composed of the same mass and weight
So you’d think that the rate of velocity measured with the force of gravity
Would cause each to fall at the same speed
But that’s when you need to consider that the greater surface area of the loose sheet adds resistance
So the crumpled ball will fall quickly
But the loose sheet will slowly float
I wrote a note
Explaining that when two people are falling for each other
They do so at the same speed
There’s no need to factor in the physics explanations
Or something we can make no use of
Einstein said: Gravity won’t be held responsible for people falling in love
I wrote her a note
Telling her: If I fall in love with you
No one will ever be able to explain it
And I think that’s beautiful
Despite the class laughing, she did as well
Which is how I can tell you that I then knew and now still know
She tasted like tomatoes
I don’t remember the way every song goes
I can’t recall ever person I’ve met
I get names mixed up all the time
I’m terrible with birthdays
But I remember all the ways people have affected me
How our stories became memories
And if you were enough then you’re in there somewhere
Maybe it was a truth or dare kiss
Or a simple act of kindness
One that reminded me to remember this moment
And mark it as a memory , so we could both have it to look back on
From this life, I’ve drawn conclusions so big
They can’t fit into the tiny comic book boxes
Because I don’t wanna risk losing the detail
Just so I can make the story fit
It’s not a trick
I remember how things felt
Which in turn makes me remember how things happened
Like my first attempt at skateboarding
Where I received a down to the bone skinned knee
I remember a tree that looked like a man
With huge arms trying to hold up the sky
I used to try to climb it to the very top
Until one day I didn’t, couldn’t get down
I remember the man with the brown car
Tried to convince me he was sent to pick me up by my mom
Number 1, I lived with my grandparents
Number 2, he didn’t know the safety word
I recall when it finally occurred to me
I’m pretty fantastic
It’s not magic
I remember because I make comparisons
Not in terms of better or worse, just different
And not all of these memories are great, but they’re mine
Which lends way to believe
That none of our lives are put together on an assembly line
We’re not pre-packaged with memories or programmed with stories
We have to make our own
And they all come batteries not included
And with the endless opportunities we have dearly
Seldom do we take the time necessary to record, rewind and press play
In our own way, we are all ghetto blasters at top volume
We consume silence with noise
Speakers pounding out our heartbeats as we write refund receipts for the broken ear drums of people who could hear us live
We give up our self’s time
Precious, because its quality is limited only by your ability to live within it
Put yourself into every second of every minute
And you will have a life worth remembering
Just because we don’t have forever
Doesn’t mean we have to live our lives moving towards the end
As if on a conveyor belt
I felt nothing short of astonished when people asked me
How do you memorize all of that?
The fact of the matter is
It’s not a trick
There is no thick curtain you need to pull away
No little old man making it all work from behind a locked door
You yourself probably remember before when I told you that
Near a black hole, time slows
Inside a black hole is where I wanted to grow tomatoes
The lyrics to Shane Koyczan's song Tomatoes describe a series of memories and reflections on different moments throughout the singer's life. The lyrics touch upon themes of love, loss, and personal growth. The chorus mentions the singer's first kiss and how the tomatoes taste of the first girl he kissed became a point of reference when it comes to taste. The verse following the chorus takes a sudden shift to the topic of black holes and how it's a perfect place to love someone.
The next verse talks about the singer's childhood nickname and recalls a moment where the singer told someone to go fuck themselves for the first time. The following verse is about the singer's grandfather, who had a secret stash of raisins in his blue toolkit, and how the grandfather taught the singer how to tie a tie. The verse goes on to describe the singer's first date and how he wore a suit and tie while the girl wore acid-washed jeans and a Def Leppard t-shirt, and the girl ended up leaving the singer for a boy who could make farting noises with his armpit.
The next verse talks about the singer's childhood teacher who had a rule about speaking out of turn, which lead to the singer sitting outside when he pointed out to the teacher that her boob was hanging out. The teacher corrected the singer and called it a breast. The following verse is about the singer's academic diagnostic test and how the instructor informed him that he had an aptitude for history. The singer then wrote a note to a girl in class, expressing his feelings that when two people fall in love, they do so at the same speed.
The final verse of the song is the most reflective of them all. The singer admits that he doesn't remember every song, every person he's met, or every birthday. However, he remembers how people have affected him, and how their stories became memories. He reflects on his experiences of learning to skateboard, climbing a tree, and a man in a brown car trying to entice him into his car. The verse concludes by encouraging listeners to make their own memories and to take the time necessary to record, rewind and press play.
Line by Line Meaning
People always ask me
I constantly get asked by people
How do you memorize all of that?
How do you remember all those things?
And the truth is the first girl I ever kissed, tasted like tomatoes
The truth is, the first girl I kissed had a taste similar to tomatoes
And I know this, because the second girl I ever kissed tasted like pepper
I know this because the second girl I kissed had a taste similar to pepper
It wasn’t unpleasant
It wasn't a bad experience
It’s just that I was expecting tomatoes
I was just expecting the taste of tomatoes
When I was a kid I learnt that time slows near a black hole
When I was young, I learned that time slows down near a black hole
Inside a black hole time stops altogether
Inside a black hole, time completely stops
Whether or not this theory will ever be proved
Regardless of whether this theory will be proven or not
I’m moved to believe this would be the perfect place to love someone
I strongly believe this would be an ideal place to love someone
In grade 4 my gym teacher gave me the nick name half-ton
In fourth grade, my gym teacher gave me the nickname 'half-ton'
It was a name that stuck
It was a name that stayed with me
I remember it, because it was the first I ever told someone
I remember it because it was the first time I stood up to someone
Go fuck yourself! and meant it
I told him to go fuck himself, and I truly meant it
He quit calling me the name after he called my house
He stopped using the nickname after he called my house
Trying to get me in trouble for what I’d said
Attempting to get me into trouble for my words
To which my grandmother replied
To which my grandmother responded
Mr. Shithead, I told him to say it
I instructed him to say 'Mr. Shithead'
I remember my grandfather’s blue tool kit
I recall my grandfather's blue tool kit
Where he hid a secret stash of raisins
He kept a secret supply of raisins hidden there
I recall thinking: My granddad has the worst taste in candy
I remember thinking that my granddad's choice of candy was terrible
But he did teach me how to tie a tie
But he did teach me how to properly tie a tie
My first opportunity to apply this knowledge was my first date
The first time I could use that knowledge was on my first date
A seventh grade class mate, who showed up wearing acid washed jeans and a Def Leppard t-shirt
A classmate from seventh grade, who arrived wearing acid washed jeans and a Def Leppard t-shirt
I wore a suit and tie
I was dressed in a suit and tie
When she asked why I was all dressed up
When she asked why I was so formal
I had to think quick and I told her: I thought it would be funny
I had to come up with a quick response, so I told her I thought it would be humorous
I don't wanna say it ended badly
I don't want to say it ended poorly
But she wound up leaving me for a boy
But she ended up leaving me for another boy
Who could make farting noises with his arm-pit
Who had the ability to create farting noises with his armpit
I’m forced to admit - he was pretty cool
I must admit, he was quite cool
In fourth grade my teacher had a rule about speaking out of turn
In fourth grade, my teacher had a rule against speaking out of turn
Failure to learn and practice this lesson
Not learning and following this lesson
Would result in having to sit outside
Would lead to being made to sit outside
I know this, because I’ve tried it once
I know this because I tried it once
When she finally came out to check on me, she asked
When she finally came out to see what I was doing, she asked
What was so important, that it couldn’t wait?
What was so urgent that it couldn't wait?
Knowing that it’s rude to point
Knowing that it's impolite to point
But needing to illustrate my position
But needing to demonstrate my situation
I gestured to her chest and said
I pointed to her chest and said
Your boob is hanging out
Your breast is exposed
She quickly covered up and corrected me: Breast
She immediately covered herself and corrected me, saying 'Breast'
She was a good teacher
She was a good teacher
When I was twelve, I was given an academic diagnostics test
When I was twelve, I took an academic diagnostics test
Later the instructor informed me
Later, the instructor told me
I had an aptitude for history
I had a natural talent for history
He looked puzzled when I replied
He appeared confused when I responded
Yeah, but that was yesterday. Today I’m more interested in tomorrow
Yes, but that was yesterday. Today, I'm more focused on the future
I remember it
I remember that moment
Because the next day I asked a girl if I could borrow a pen
Because the next day, I asked a girl if I could borrow a pen
When I offered it back she said
When I returned it, she said
You should write me a letter with it first
You should write me a letter with it before giving it back
So I did, wrote her a note
So I did, I wrote her a note
Which the teacher then intercepted and read to the class
Which the teacher then took and read to the entire class
It was something that we’d learnt in science that day
It was something we had learned in science class that day
About the way gravity affects mass and weight
About how gravity impacts mass and weight
In relation to how quickly something will fall
Regarding the speed at which something will fall
Example
For example
A crumpled ball of paper will fall at the same speed as a boulder of granite
A crumpled ball of paper will fall at the same speed as a solid boulder of granite
It doesn’t matter how much something weighs
The weight of an object doesn't matter
It stays the same until you consider surface area and resistance
The speed remains constant until you take into account surface area and resistance
At which point the persistence of gravity loses force
At that point, the strength of gravity decreases
Example
For example
Crumple a piece of paper into a ball
Take a piece of paper and crumple it into a ball
It will fall faster than a loose sheet
The crumpled ball will fall faster than a flat sheet
They are both composed of the same mass and weight
Both are made of the same mass and weight
So you’d think that the rate of velocity measured with the force of gravity
You would expect the velocity measured with gravity to be the same
Would cause each to fall at the same speed
Would make them fall at the same speed
But that’s when you need to consider that the greater surface area of the loose sheet adds resistance
However, you need to take into account that the larger surface area of the flat sheet creates resistance
So the crumpled ball will fall quickly
So the crumpled ball will fall rapidly
But the loose sheet will slowly float
While the flat sheet will float slowly
I wrote a note
I wrote a message
Explaining that when two people are falling for each other
Explaining that when two people are falling in love
They do so at the same speed
They fall in love at the same pace
There’s no need to factor in the physics explanations
There's no need to consider the physics explanations
Or something we can make no use of
Or something that has no practical use for us
Einstein said: Gravity won’t be held responsible for people falling in love
As Einstein said, gravity is not to blame for people falling in love
I wrote her a note
I wrote her a message
Telling her: If I fall in love with you
Telling her: If I happen to fall in love with you
No one will ever be able to explain it
No one will ever be able to comprehend it
And I think that’s beautiful
And I find that to be beautiful
Despite the class laughing, she did as well
Even though the entire class laughed, she laughed too
Which is how I can tell you that I then knew and now still know
That's how I can tell you that at that moment, and even now, I was and still am aware
She tasted like tomatoes
She had a taste similar to tomatoes
I don’t remember the way every song goes
I don't recall the exact melody of every song
I can’t recall ever person I’ve met
I can't remember every person I've met
I get names mixed up all the time
I often confuse names
I’m terrible with birthdays
I'm really bad at remembering birthdays
But I remember all the ways people have affected me
But I remember how people have influenced me
How our stories became memories
How our experiences turned into memories
And if you were enough then you’re in there somewhere
And if you made a significant impact, then you're included in those memories
Maybe it was a truth or dare kiss
Perhaps it was a kiss during truth or dare
Or a simple act of kindness
Or a small act of kindness
One that reminded me to remember this moment
One that served as a reminder to cherish this moment
And mark it as a memory , so we could both have it to look back on
And label it as a memory, so we can both reminisce about it
From this life, I’ve drawn conclusions so big
From living this life, I've reached profound conclusions
They can’t fit into the tiny comic book boxes
They cannot be contained in small comic book boxes
Because I don’t wanna risk losing the detail
Because I do not want to risk losing any of the details
Just so I can make the story fit
Just to make the story fit into a smaller box
It’s not a trick
It's not a gimmick
I remember how things felt
I remember how things felt
Which in turn makes me remember how things happened
That also helps me remember how things occurred
Like my first attempt at skateboarding
Like my first try at skateboarding
Where I received a down to the bone skinned knee
Where I got a knee injury that went down to the bone
I remember a tree that looked like a man
I remember a tree that resembled a man
With huge arms trying to hold up the sky
With massive branches attempting to support the sky
I used to try to climb it to the very top
I used to attempt to climb it all the way to the top
Until one day I didn’t, couldn’t get down
Until one day when I couldn't climb down
I remember the man with the brown car
I remember the man with the brown car
Tried to convince me he was sent to pick me up by my mom
He tried to persuade me that my mom had sent him to pick me up
Number 1, I lived with my grandparents
First of all, I lived with my grandparents
Number 2, he didn’t know the safety word
Secondly, he didn't know the safety word
I recall when it finally occurred to me
I remember when it finally dawned on me
I’m pretty fantastic
I'm quite amazing
It’s not magic
It's not magic
I remember because I make comparisons
I remember because I compare things
Not in terms of better or worse, just different
Not in terms of being better or worse, just different
And not all of these memories are great, but they’re mine
And not all of these memories are amazing, but they belong to me
Which lends way to believe
Which leads me to believe
That none of our lives are put together on an assembly line
That none of our lives are manufactured like on an assembly line
We’re not pre-packaged with memories or programmed with stories
We're not pre-loaded with memories or given predetermined stories
We have to make our own
We have to create our own memories
And they all come batteries not included
And they all come without batteries
And with the endless opportunities we have dearly
And with the countless opportunities we value greatly
Seldom do we take the time necessary to record, rewind and press play
We rarely take the required time to record, rewind, and press play
In our own way, we are all ghetto blasters at top volume
In our own way, we are all loud speakers at maximum volume
We consume silence with noise
We replace silence with noise
Speakers pounding out our heartbeats as we write refund receipts for the broken ear drums of people who could hear us live
Speakers blasting our heartbeats as we apologize to those who've suffered hearing loss due to our live performances
We give up our self’s time
We sacrifice our own time
Precious, because its quality is limited only by your ability to live within it
Precious because its value is determined by how effectively you live in the moment
Put yourself into every second of every minute
Immerse yourself in every second of every minute
And you will have a life worth remembering
And you will have a memorable life
Just because we don’t have forever
Simply because we don't have eternity
Doesn’t mean we have to live our lives moving towards the end
Doesn't mean we have to live our lives as if we're constantly approaching the end
As if on a conveyor belt
As if we're on a conveyor belt
I felt nothing short of astonished when people asked me
I was incredibly surprised when people asked me
The fact of the matter is
The truth is
It’s not a trick
It's not a trick
There is no thick curtain you need to pull away
There is no thick curtain you need to reveal
No little old man making it all work from behind a locked door
There's no elderly man making everything work from behind a locked door
You yourself probably remember before when I told you that
You probably remember when I previously told you that
Near a black hole, time slows
Time slows down near a black hole
Inside a black hole is where I wanted to grow tomatoes
I desired to grow tomatoes inside a black hole
Contributed by Adeline J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@estherjimenezinigo
Lyrics:
People always ask me,
"How do you memorize all of that?"
And the truth is,
the first girl I've ever kissed
tasted like tomatoes.
I know this because
the second girl I've ever kissed
tasted like pepper.
It wasn't unpleasant... it's just,
I was expecting tomatoes.
When I was a kid
I learned that time slows
near a black hole.
Inside a black hole,
time stops all together.
Wether or not this theory
will ever be proved
I've moved to believe
this would be the perfect
place to love someone.
In grade 4 my gym teacher
gave me the nickname half-ton.
It was a name that stuck.
I remember it because it was
the first time I ever told someone
go f*ck yourself, and meant it.
He quit calling me the name
after he called my house
trying to get me in trouble
for what I said,
to which my grandmother replied:
"Mr shithead, I told him to say it"
I remember my grandfather's
blue toolkit where he had secret
stash of raisins.
I recall thinking: "My granddad
has the worst taste in candy",
but he did teach me
how to tie a tie.
My first opportunity
to apply this knowledge
was my first day,
a seventh grade class
may have should have worn
acid wash jeans and a
death leather t-shirt,
but I wore a suit and a tie.
When she asked
why was I all dressed up
I had to think quickly
and told her:
"I thought it'd be funny"
I don't wanna say it ended badly
but she wound up leaving me
for a boy who could make
farting noises with his armpit.
I'm forced to admit,
it was pretty cool.
In forth grade my teacher
had a rule about
speaking out of turn.
Failure to learn and
practice this lesson
resulted in having
to sit outside.
I know this because
I tried it once
but when she finally
came to check on me
she asked:
"what was so important
that it couldn't wait"
Knowing that it's rude to point
but needing to illustrate
my position I gestured to
her chest and said:
"your boob is hanging out"
She quickly covered up and
corrected me.
Yes... she was a good teacher.
When I was 12 I was given
an academic diagnostics test.
The instructor later informed me
I had an aptitude for history.
He looked puzzled when
I replied: "yeah, but that was
yesterday. Today I'm more
interested in tomorrow."
I remember it because
the next day I asked a girl
if I could borrow her a pen.
When I offered it back she said:
"you should write me a letter
with it first". So I did.
I wrote her a note which
the teacher then intercepted
and read to the class.
It was something we'd learned
in science that day:
By the way gravity affects
mass and weight in relation
of how quickly something
would fall.
For example, a crumpled
ball of paper will fall at the
same speed as a chunk of
granite. It doesn't matter
how much something
weighs, it stays the same
until you consider surface
area and resistance, at which
point the persistence of
gravity losses force.
For example; a couple of
pieces of paper into a ball
will fall more quickly than
a loose sheet.
They're both composed of
the same mass and weight
so you'd think that the rate
of velocity measured for the
force of gravity would cause
each to fall at the same speed,
but that's when you need to
consider the greater surface
the loose sheet adds
resistence, so the crumpled
ball will fall quickly and the
loose sheet will slowly float.
I wrote a note saying when
two people fall in love,
they do so at the same speed.
There's no need to factor in the
physics... Explanations or
something we can make
no use of.
Einstein once wrote:
"Gravity will not be held
responsible for people
falling in love."
I wrote a note saying:
"If I fall in love with you,
no one will ever be able
to explain it, and I think
that's beautiful."
Despite the class laughing
sheeted as well, which is
how I can tell you that
I then knew and now still
know...
She tasted like tomatoes.
I don't remember the way
every song goes.
I can't recall every person
I've ever met.
I get names mixed up all
the time.
I'm terrible with birthdays.
But I remember all the ways
people have affected me.
How our stories became
memories and if you were
brazen enough to make
one with me then you're
in there somewhere.
Maybe it was a truth or dare
kiss or a simple act of
kindness. One that reminded
me to remember the moment
and mark it as a memory
so I could have it to look
back on from this life.
I've drawn conclusions
so big they can't fit into
the tiny comic book
boxes, because I don't
want to risk losing the
details just so I can
make the story fit.
It's not a trick.
I remember how things
felt, which in turn makes
me remember how things
happened...
That my first attempt at
skateboarding when I
received it down to the
bone skinned knee.
I remember a tree that
looked like a man, huge
arms, trying to hold up
the sky.
I used to try to climb it
to the top until, one day
I did, and couldn't get
down.
I remember the man with
the brown car tried to
convince me he was sent
to pick me up by my mom.
Number one, I lived with
my grandparents.
Number two, you didn't know
the safety word.
I recall it finally occurred to
me... I'm pretty fantastic.
It's not magic.
I remember it because I
make comparisons, and not
in terms of better or worse,
just different.
And not all of these memories
are great but they're mine,
which lends weight to the
believe that none of our lives
are put together on an
assembly line.
We're not prepackaged with
emotions or programmed
with stories. We have to make
our own and they all come with
batteries not included.
And with the endless
opportunities we have daily,
seldom do we take the time
necessary to pause.
To stop.
To record, rewind, and press
play.
In our own way we are all
guetto blasters atop volume.
We consume slience with
noise.
Speakers pounding at our
heartbeats as we write
refund receipts for the
broken eardrums of
people who hear us live.
We give of ourselves
time, precious because its
quality is limited only
by your ability to live
within it.
Put yourself in every
second of every minute
and you will have a life
worth remembering.
Just because we don't
have forever doesn't mean
we have to move towards
the end, is about a conveyor
belt I felt nothing but
astonished people ask me:
"How do you memorized all that?"
That is... It's not a trick.
There's no thick curtain
you need to pull away.
No little old man making
it all worth behind a
locked door.
You yourself probably
remember before when I
told you that near a black
hole...
Time slows.
Inside a black hole, is where
I wanted to grow tomatoes.
I tried my best but feel free to correct me if there are any mistakes! :)
@patrickohm5123
Thank you a lot for the transcript. Did not catch the grandma's reply to the teacher.
I think the following two lines are slightly off:
"your boob is hanging out" She quickly covered up and corrected me. Yes... she was a good teacher.
-> "your boob is hanging out" She quickly covered up and corrected me: "Breast"... she was a good teacher.
"My first opportunity to apply this knowledge was my first day, a seventh grade class may have should have worn acid wash jeans and a death leather t-shirt"
-> My first opportunity to apply this knowledge was my first date, a seventh grade classmate, maybe should have worn acid-washed jeans and a Def Leppard t-shirt
@wi6963
my friend has severe depression, I asked him what he liked, hoping to find something i can use to make him feel better, he mentioned this guy, i listened to this very video seconds after he mentioned, i really love this, so Shane, you got one more sub
@harper.mm.reprah304
I can hear the poem itself just fine with the music. I honestly don't know what the problem is for others.
@randawolf3825
@Marten Dekker it doesnt bother me neither.
@zeynepcosansu1184
This is too beautiful.
@estherjimenezinigo
Lyrics:
People always ask me,
"How do you memorize all of that?"
And the truth is,
the first girl I've ever kissed
tasted like tomatoes.
I know this because
the second girl I've ever kissed
tasted like pepper.
It wasn't unpleasant... it's just,
I was expecting tomatoes.
When I was a kid
I learned that time slows
near a black hole.
Inside a black hole,
time stops all together.
Wether or not this theory
will ever be proved
I've moved to believe
this would be the perfect
place to love someone.
In grade 4 my gym teacher
gave me the nickname half-ton.
It was a name that stuck.
I remember it because it was
the first time I ever told someone
go f*ck yourself, and meant it.
He quit calling me the name
after he called my house
trying to get me in trouble
for what I said,
to which my grandmother replied:
"Mr shithead, I told him to say it"
I remember my grandfather's
blue toolkit where he had secret
stash of raisins.
I recall thinking: "My granddad
has the worst taste in candy",
but he did teach me
how to tie a tie.
My first opportunity
to apply this knowledge
was my first day,
a seventh grade class
may have should have worn
acid wash jeans and a
death leather t-shirt,
but I wore a suit and a tie.
When she asked
why was I all dressed up
I had to think quickly
and told her:
"I thought it'd be funny"
I don't wanna say it ended badly
but she wound up leaving me
for a boy who could make
farting noises with his armpit.
I'm forced to admit,
it was pretty cool.
In forth grade my teacher
had a rule about
speaking out of turn.
Failure to learn and
practice this lesson
resulted in having
to sit outside.
I know this because
I tried it once
but when she finally
came to check on me
she asked:
"what was so important
that it couldn't wait"
Knowing that it's rude to point
but needing to illustrate
my position I gestured to
her chest and said:
"your boob is hanging out"
She quickly covered up and
corrected me.
Yes... she was a good teacher.
When I was 12 I was given
an academic diagnostics test.
The instructor later informed me
I had an aptitude for history.
He looked puzzled when
I replied: "yeah, but that was
yesterday. Today I'm more
interested in tomorrow."
I remember it because
the next day I asked a girl
if I could borrow her a pen.
When I offered it back she said:
"you should write me a letter
with it first". So I did.
I wrote her a note which
the teacher then intercepted
and read to the class.
It was something we'd learned
in science that day:
By the way gravity affects
mass and weight in relation
of how quickly something
would fall.
For example, a crumpled
ball of paper will fall at the
same speed as a chunk of
granite. It doesn't matter
how much something
weighs, it stays the same
until you consider surface
area and resistance, at which
point the persistence of
gravity losses force.
For example; a couple of
pieces of paper into a ball
will fall more quickly than
a loose sheet.
They're both composed of
the same mass and weight
so you'd think that the rate
of velocity measured for the
force of gravity would cause
each to fall at the same speed,
but that's when you need to
consider the greater surface
the loose sheet adds
resistence, so the crumpled
ball will fall quickly and the
loose sheet will slowly float.
I wrote a note saying when
two people fall in love,
they do so at the same speed.
There's no need to factor in the
physics... Explanations or
something we can make
no use of.
Einstein once wrote:
"Gravity will not be held
responsible for people
falling in love."
I wrote a note saying:
"If I fall in love with you,
no one will ever be able
to explain it, and I think
that's beautiful."
Despite the class laughing
sheeted as well, which is
how I can tell you that
I then knew and now still
know...
She tasted like tomatoes.
I don't remember the way
every song goes.
I can't recall every person
I've ever met.
I get names mixed up all
the time.
I'm terrible with birthdays.
But I remember all the ways
people have affected me.
How our stories became
memories and if you were
brazen enough to make
one with me then you're
in there somewhere.
Maybe it was a truth or dare
kiss or a simple act of
kindness. One that reminded
me to remember the moment
and mark it as a memory
so I could have it to look
back on from this life.
I've drawn conclusions
so big they can't fit into
the tiny comic book
boxes, because I don't
want to risk losing the
details just so I can
make the story fit.
It's not a trick.
I remember how things
felt, which in turn makes
me remember how things
happened...
That my first attempt at
skateboarding when I
received it down to the
bone skinned knee.
I remember a tree that
looked like a man, huge
arms, trying to hold up
the sky.
I used to try to climb it
to the top until, one day
I did, and couldn't get
down.
I remember the man with
the brown car tried to
convince me he was sent
to pick me up by my mom.
Number one, I lived with
my grandparents.
Number two, you didn't know
the safety word.
I recall it finally occurred to
me... I'm pretty fantastic.
It's not magic.
I remember it because I
make comparisons, and not
in terms of better or worse,
just different.
And not all of these memories
are great but they're mine,
which lends weight to the
believe that none of our lives
are put together on an
assembly line.
We're not prepackaged with
emotions or programmed
with stories. We have to make
our own and they all come with
batteries not included.
And with the endless
opportunities we have daily,
seldom do we take the time
necessary to pause.
To stop.
To record, rewind, and press
play.
In our own way we are all
guetto blasters atop volume.
We consume slience with
noise.
Speakers pounding at our
heartbeats as we write
refund receipts for the
broken eardrums of
people who hear us live.
We give of ourselves
time, precious because its
quality is limited only
by your ability to live
within it.
Put yourself in every
second of every minute
and you will have a life
worth remembering.
Just because we don't
have forever doesn't mean
we have to move towards
the end, is about a conveyor
belt I felt nothing but
astonished people ask me:
"How do you memorized all that?"
That is... It's not a trick.
There's no thick curtain
you need to pull away.
No little old man making
it all worth behind a
locked door.
You yourself probably
remember before when I
told you that near a black
hole...
Time slows.
Inside a black hole, is where
I wanted to grow tomatoes.
I tried my best but feel free to correct me if there are any mistakes! :)
@patrickohm5123
Thank you a lot for the transcript. Did not catch the grandma's reply to the teacher.
I think the following two lines are slightly off:
"your boob is hanging out" She quickly covered up and corrected me. Yes... she was a good teacher.
-> "your boob is hanging out" She quickly covered up and corrected me: "Breast"... she was a good teacher.
"My first opportunity to apply this knowledge was my first day, a seventh grade class may have should have worn acid wash jeans and a death leather t-shirt"
-> My first opportunity to apply this knowledge was my first date, a seventh grade classmate, maybe should have worn acid-washed jeans and a Def Leppard t-shirt
@fukutaichou1903
This was such a trip. I love it. How does he remember all this :P
@youreverythingchannel9490
I Love it..
Even though .
I'm not that deep kind of person i always appreciate this. Because i can play with mywords.it inspires me to make meanings out of everything.. tragedy, romance, comedy, slice of life . Etcc..
How they symbolize everything.. i love it..
@claricia8985
Taught me more than my science teacher did
@Aquecho
this is my favorite shane koyczan poem