Yesterday, When I Was Young

Yesterday, when I was young

The taste of life was sweet

Like rain upon my tongue

I teased at life as if

It were a foolish game

The way an evening breeze

Would tease a candle flame

The thousand dreams I dreamed

The splendid things I planned

I always built to last

On weak and shifting sand

I lived by night and shunned

The naked light of day

And only now I see

How the years have ran away

Yesterday, when I was young

There were so many songs

That waited to be sung

So many wild pleasures

That 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 That I can recall

Concerns itself with me

And nothing else at all

Yesterday, the moon was blue

And every crazy day

Brought something new to do

And 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

So quickly, quickly died

The friends I made all seemed

Somehow to drift away

And only I am left

On stage to end the play

Yesterday, when I was young

There were so many songs

That waited to be sung

So many wild pleasures

That lay in store for me

And so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see

There are so many songs in me that won't be sung

I feel the bitter taste

Of tears upon my tongue

And The time has come for me

To pay for yesterday

When I was young