Once upon a time

Once upon a time,
When the mind was naive
When the heart did most of the talking
When the ears heard but didn't listen
When the eyes saw but didn't register
But he was free..

Once upon a time,
When he knew little but owned a dream
When the glass was empty yet drops could be seen
When the world was more good than bad
When he was more happy than sad
And he was free..

Once upon a time,
When the scooter chugged every Friday night
When the stomach was full but the heart craved more
When each break was two train journeys across the country
When vacations were his - no questions asked
Yes, he was free..

Once upon a time
He forgave and forgot
Now the egos unfurl
Behind a veil of pride

The facades are off
And the masks are coming on
The knowledge is growing but
The circle is shrinking

And however hard he wish
that he hadn't known so much
Now that the lines are drawn
The world is a smaller place to live.