The old man said to the youth, <br />'I know of youth and I know of <br />age, but you who aren't of age, <br />can only know of youth. So you <br />make the music of the strong <br />and the young, and I'll sing <br />the song of the old, that are done. <br /> <br />Together we'll walk toward the <br />setting sun, but I'll leave long <br />before you, my youthful one. <br />You're so strong, so young, so <br />bright I'm told. You're my <br />yesterdays, my memories, and now <br />I'm old.' <br /> <br />'Oh what I'd give for days gone <br />by, 'the old man murmured, with a <br />long deep sigh. <br /> <br />The youth glimpsed the man with <br />the tired face, and knew in his <br />heart, he bound for that place. <br />That place, the other side of a <br />starlit sky, a place called Heaven, <br />way up on high. <br /> <br />The youth was sad, in pain and <br />shed a tear, the old man hugged him, <br />and gone was fear. Longingly, he look <br />at the boy as he whispered... <br />'I go from here. ' <br /> <br />The youth protested and cried, <br />and said 'don't leave'. The old man smiled and <br />said 'don't grieve <br /> <br />For every man, comes a time to go, <br />it's now my time, for this I know. <br />I've lived my life and now I wonder, <br />what it is, that's beyond the thunder.' <br /> <br />Toward the setting sun, they strode, <br />and boy sadly whispered, 'good by... <br />till I'm old' <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />© Joe Fazio<br /><br />(brief renderings) Joe Fazio<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-wish-it-wasn-t-so/