The Same Way

It was the last day of school.
Josh had a crush on a popular girl.
He asked me if I would take
His yearbook to her and ask her to sign.
She said, “You know what would be funny?
If we wrote something mean
And signed my name.”

I should’ve known that
The same way joy ripples outward,
So does cruelty,
So what will be
The ripples that I want to cause.

I don’t recall the words I wrote,
“I hate you” or something as thoughtless as that.
He said, “Did she write these words?”
He looked at me sadly when I said she did.
Then the realization
Of what I had written
And could not unwrite.

I should’ve known that
The same way joy ripples outward,
So does cruelty,
So what will be
The ripples that I want to cause.
(Joy I want)

I never got in trouble and I always thought
I ‘d meet Josh again and apologize,
But he died in an accident.
Wish I’d known

The same way joy ripples outward,
So does cruelty,
So what will be
The ripples that I want to cause.
(Joy I want to cause,
Joy I want)