Meanings of “Wish You Were Here”
The phrase “wish you were here” shows a strong feeling that a person wants someone to be with him on a special occasion of his life. Often the phrase is used to expressed by someone who has lost a friend or a spouse.
Origin of “Wish You Were Here”
The phrase “wish you were here” is associated with picture postcards introduced at the end of the nineteenth century. However, one thing is certain about this phrase printed on those postcards that the US government permitted it in 1898 on cards worth one sent with this phrase printed on them. Since then, the phrase has been used in almost the same sense but in different words.
Examples from Literature
Example #1
Wish You Were Here by Mark Wills
“They kissed goodbye at the terminal gate
She said, “You’re gonna be late if you don’t go”
He held her tight, said, “I’ll be alright
I’ll call you tonight to let you know”
He bought a postcard, on the front it just said Heaven
With a picture of the ocean and the beach
And the simple words he wrote her
Said he loved her and they told her
How he’d hold her if his arms would reachWish you were here, wish you could see this place
Wish you were near, I wish I could touch your face
The weather’s nice, it’s paradise
It’s summertime all year and there’s some folks we know
They say, “Hello, I miss you so, wish you were here.”
The singer talks about the desperate situation of two lovers, who are going to take different directions. The first stanza speaks about the very moment when they said goodbye to each other. The speaker expresses her love by giving her lover a postcard, having an enchanting view printed on it. However, in the second stanza, the phrase is used as a metaphor of love, where the speaker’s lover holds that beautiful postcard and longs for his beloved.
Example #2
Wish You Were Here by Cheyenne Riegsecker
I want to be able to hold you tight and kiss you,
I want to have you body against mine closet to my heart,
Happy that we’re together and will be forever.
I wish you were here kissing me so tenderly,
But I know that someday it will happen,
I wish you were here, so you can love me so sweetly,
and so I can love you back so dearly.
The heartfelt feelings of a lover are shown in this poem. The lonely speaker misses his beloved and hopes to see her shortly. He wants to outpour his intense feelings but is waiting for the day both will be together. The phrase used in the title, as well as the last lines, shows its meanings clarified through this love story. Therefore, it is a good metaphorical presentation of the phrase.
Example #3
Wish You Were Here by Renee Carlino
Renee Carlino presents the story of self-discovery and love. Charlotte, the leading character of the novel, spent her early life finding herself a good job, a perfect partner, and satisfying life, but she fails. While living in Los Angeles with her friend, she came across a soulful and gorgeous painter, Adam. Their instant connection became the mighty one; they spent a night together sharing their best with each other. Unfortunately, the next morning, Adam forgot the moments they spent at night and gave Charlotte a cold shoulder. On the other hand, heartfelt Charlotte was unable to accept the dual personality of Adam. Later, in life, she met another man but her feelings toward love, compassion and care seemed blurred because her first experience has shaped her life for good. The phrase, therefore, shows the same nostalgic feelings in a literal sense.
Example #4
Wish You Were Here by Frank Jones
This is a short gothic horror story is about an elderly lady, Dorothy who purchases a garden gnome. With love, she places it in her garden but the gnome gets disappeared leaving her in a state of confusion and shock. After a few days of its disappearance, the gnome starts sending postcards expressing various adventures. The final card she receives talks about the gnome’s death. After some time, Dorothy also dies and her body is found by the mailman, Norman. Soon, her friends arrive and call the police. Norman leaves his number for further assistance. It is through Norman’s handwriting her friend concludes that it was Norman who took the gnome away and later killed Dorothy secretly. Thus, the use of this phrase in the title seems correct that if Dorothy were alive, she should have seen her culprit.
Example in Sentences
Example #1: “Rupert was here at my party last month. This time he could not come due to some personal issues, though I wish he were here to share my joys.”
Example #2: “My father died last year leaving me in the hands of misery. I wish he were here to see how lonely I feel without him.”
Example #3: “My sisters lost their passports and could not arrive on my big day. I wish they were here to celebrate my happiness.”
Example #4: “Like many other workers, Jim entered the office and complained about one of the employees. “I wish the manager were here to take an immediate action, he said.”
Example #5: “My friend I invented a new device that can help people in various fields. I wish my parents were here to celebrate my victory.”