Once up on a time
In never-never land
Innocence was lost
It’s never what you plan

Sadness used to be
Such a trivial affair
Now it’s dark and painful
Because you learned how to care

Wide-eyed child
Never again
Wasted youth
Unforgivable sin

Tragedy befell you
Both sides of the ball
Both sides
Of life’s flaws

Which came first?
The sinner of the sin?
When will it stop?
When will the nightmare end?

You first noticed the longing
Bud didn’t recognize
That growing void inside you
That emptiness in your eyes

Fruitless pleasure
Trivial pursuits
Nothing satisfies
Or nourishes deep roots

The aging that you feel
Is far to close to real
And life’s ironic trials
Your life they want to steal
You mask it with manners
You hide just like a child
Behind a playful spirit
And behavior young and wild

But nothing can replace
The time you let slip away
Not just the time you’ve seen
But with tomorrow’s time you’ve paid

This seriousness
This sadness
Floods your soul
This emptiness
This longing
Steals your joy
This bitterness
This pain
Sears your pride
This regret
This guilt
Forces your true self
To hide