Yesterday When I Was Young

Yesterday when I was young
The taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue.
I played at life as if it were a foolish game
The way the evening breeze plays with a candle flame.
The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned
I always built to last on weak and shifting sands
I lived by night, declined the naked light of day

And only now I see the years that ran away
Yesterday when I was young
So many crazy songs were waiting to be sung
So many crazy times that lay in store for me
And so much pain inside, my heart 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 now recall
Had all to do 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 games 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