Here are two versions of a song I created with AI-generated lyrics and music based on customized prompts. It was inspired by George Saunders’ 2013 commencement speech at Syracuse University that focused on “failures of kindness.” Let me know which version you prefer and why, either here or on my YouTube account (Watch on YouTube). Turn them up and enjoy!

(Verse 1) I passed you in the hallway, Eyes down, heart turned away, you looked like you were drowning In a sea of silent gray. I had a word I could have spoken, A smile I could have shown— But I kept it locked and hidden, And I left you there alone.

(Chorus) It’s not the tests I failed or the shots I missed, not the dreams that slipped through my clenched fists. It’s the kindness I withheld, The grace I never gave— Those are the ghosts that haunt me, Following me to the grave. The things I didn’t do when I still had time to choose.

(Verse 2) We think we’re made of moments where we shine or take the prize, but it’s the quiet little mercies that redeem a life. And I was too damn busy, Too proud, or just afraid— To kneel beside your sorrow, To help you bear the weight.

(Chorus) It’s not the paths I didn’t take or words I said too loud, but the times I stayed in silence when I could have made you proud. It’s the kindness I withheld, The hand I didn’t lend— The pain I could have softened If I’d chosen to be a friend. Now it’s etched in me like truth— The kindness I refused.

(Bridge) We grow up chasing wisdom, we chase degrees and fame, but the soul keeps score in whispers and remembers every name. The shy girl I ignored, The boy with haunted eyes— They visit in my stillness, Their silence testifies.

(Final Chorus) It’s not the medals on my wall or failures I outgrew, it’s the simple acts of gentleness I always meant to do. It’s the kindness I withheld, The warmth I didn’t send— The moments lost forever That I cannot now amend. Oh, if I had one more chance, I’d let the kindness dance.

(Outro) So don’t wait for the moment— Be bold, be soft, be true. Don’t live with the failures of the kindness you could do.

Version 1

Version 2

This is my favorite line: We think we’re made of moments where we shine or take the prize, but it’s the quiet little mercies that redeem a life. Who do we remember? Those who were kind and, to a lesser extent, those who were not.

Peace, MAA