Yesterday when I was young

Yesterday when I was young

Yesterday when I was young, The taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue, I teased at life as if it were a foolish game, The way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame; The thousand dreams I dreamed, The splendid things I planned I always built, alas, on weak and shifting sand; I lived by night and shunned the naked light of day And only now I see how the years ran away. Yesterday When I was young, So many drinking songs were waiting to be sung, So many wayward pleasures lay in store for me And so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see, I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out, I never stopped to think what life was all about And every conversation I can now recall concerned itself with me, and nothing else at all. Yesterday the moon was blue, and every crazy day brought something new to do, I used my magic age as if it were a wand, and never saw the waste and emptiness beyond; The game of love I played with arrogance and pride and every flame I lit too quickly, quickly died; The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away And only I am left on stage to end the play. There are so many songs in me that won't be sung, I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue, The time has come for me to pay for Yesterday When I was Young.

---