Hamada Shogo

Our goodbye poem was carved into the white wall
At the school building, at midnight
I looked for her face at the train platform at dawn
But I couldn't see through my tears
I left a note saying "I'm leaving on a trip" on my desk
With only my harmonica and a pocket full of change
Ah, I didn't even know the meaning of "goodbye"
Ah, for no reason, it broke and fell from my hand
That was when I was 16, and I longed for
The faraway sky, in a back alley

I was on my way home to Yokoyama on the train
From my part-time job, at midnight
Leaning on my old beat up folk guitar
I remembered "Being blown on by the wind"
I sketched out my dreams together with my friends, in my small room
We said that "one day, this country will wake up"
Ah, " I didn't even know the meaning of "betrayl"
Ah, for no reason, it broke and fell from my hand
That was when I was 18, shrugging my shoulders
I continued to wait, in a back alley

The discolored and tall factory wall
Had begun to collapse, on my way home
I wrote my dad wrote me a letter for the first time since leaving home
Saying that "I was doing well"
Amidst falling in love, and getting lost in passion
Before I knew it, the two of us were together every night
Ah, I didn't even know the meaning of "kindness"
Ah, for no reason, it broke and fell from my hand
That was when I was 21, I put my arms around
Her thin shoulders, in a back alley

When I hum things to myself, they're nothing but sad songs
The feelings that I never expressed break my heart
Ah, today too, I call out in answer
Ah, for no reason, it breaks and falls from my hand
Now I'm 22, and for the first time, I know
That there's a dead end in this back alley