I have a hidden love,
That I keep tucked away in the deepest parts of me,
In the deepest parts of my soul,
Is where you will find this one love.

I go to him when I am sad,
I go to him when I am disappointed,
I go to him when I am mad,
And most of all, I go to him when I am happy.

I think about him when I am done thinking all the other thinks,
For he is the one that drifts in,
Without me suspecting it,
He floats out from his deep hiding spot,
And I can’t help but smile at him.

Sometimes when he floats up from my soul to my heart,
It is so sudden and surprising,
That I am neither sad nor happy,
I just sit there and acknowledge him in all of his beauty.

However no matter how much I love my hidden love,
I keep him hidden,
I always tuck him away,
Back to his quiet corner in the depth of my soul.

I do not know why I keep him there,
He is so wonderful that I am afraid to tell anyone about my love,
Because I am sure he is too amazing for me.

No one seems to realize how amazing he is,
But me,
And I don’t know why no one recognizes it,
All I know is that my love for him is a tree,
It is growing.

But maybe it is the fact that people do recognize the amazing aspects of him,
Maybe I am afraid that he will not notice me,
Maybe that is why I keep him hidden,
In the deepest parts of me,
Down in my soul,
Until he drifts back into my heart.

I do not know many things about my hidden love,
All I know is this:

I have a hidden love,
Tucked away in the depths of me,
Where he rests in all his beauty,
And it is where he will stay,
Until I can finally say,
I love you.

These songs remind me of you,
When we used to be true,
But without you I’m left here feeling blue.

Each of them has a tune,
Sad or happy,
Happy or sad,
Each one makes me hope I will see you again soon.

This one reminds me of the old times,
Where we used to sing rhymes,
And listen to the chimes
Of the lunch bell.

That one reminds me of when we heard the plates clattering,
Or when we held hands to keep our world from shattering,
And when we got in trouble for too much chattering,
And then we danced around the table, pitter pattering.

The next one here reminds me of our tears,
As we admitted our fears,
And revealed the plans for our careers,
And after that we let out the loudest cheers.

That one there reminds me of the time I was crying,
And you couldn’t help but wonder what was wrong, and you kept prying,
And so after my tears finished drying,
We pretended like we were flying.

I listen to these songs and I am suddenly blue,
Because your friendship was so true,
Because each of these songs remind me of you.

What happened to the once-Great State of South Carolina?
What happened to the southern Hospitality, for it turned into Hostility?
What happened to the southern Pride that Tied us together?
What happened to the once-welcoming Communities and land of Opportunities?

What happened to the state I Live In, where things were never Given, but they were earned?
What happened to the people Surrounding me, though once proud to be here; are now Astounding me with hatred?
What happened to the beautiful Places and smiling Faces; all I see now is Destruction and Disgrace.

I love my state, yes. I love my people, yes.
But where did the charm Go, all that is around now is shade to Throw.
Where is the southern Charm, and the love where we would give an Arm to help our neighbor?

Here lie the broken Families, the torn palm Trees, in the once-Great State of South Carolina.