The innocence of childhood it is a marvellous thing <br />And all children are untainted in their life's early Spring <br />But by the time they've reached their teens their innocence they've lost <br />And the experience that we gain from age always comes at a cost. <br /> <br />When children lose their innocence they lose their gift of joy <br />The joy that comes from innocence in every young girl and boy <br />Compared to us young children see life quite differently <br />Of the guilt of corruption they are completely free. <br /> <br />I have such happy memories of when I was a boy <br />My childhood years were happy years but time just seemed to fly <br />And the experience that I've gained from life it came at a great cost <br />For I lost something beautiful when innocence I lost.<br /><br />Francis Duggan<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/when-children-lose-their-innocence/
