A Tribute To My Dojo Poem by Wyndon Villafuerte

June 25,2009

Though bright and sunny this day is,
At first it seemed serene;
What lied in store for me today
Was nothing like I dreamed.

I never thought this day would come
Nor will I live to see the day
That the place I knew for so long
Has suddenly been taken away.

“How could this be? ! This can’t be true.”
I tell myself repeatedly;
But despite these very words I utter,
The painful truth sinks in slowly.

I feel as though a part of me
Has died inside a little;
Feelings of sadness envelop me,
My heart begins to tremble.

Amidst the sadness I begin
To reminisce on the times had,
From the laughter and happiness we’ve shared
To the hardships and the bad.

This place I knew for quite a while
Was like a second home to me
And the many, many friends I’ve made—
We were a big, happy family.

It’s a quaint and peaceful little place
Seemingly located in the middle of nowhere;
Where the lush green trees and grass grow
And the scent of roses permeates the air.

Although this situation still saddens me,
I’ll always keep in mind
Of the many memories with my family
I’ll never leave behind.

To all the parents who are deeply affected,
And to all the instructors, especially the head master,
And to all the hardworking and loyal students especially,
I heartily offer them this little prayer:

“May God grant us serenity
In a time that seems darksome,
And grant us unyielding strength
And the courage to overcome.”