When Heart And Dreams WereYoung

Why are you bent and so sad, said the boy to the old man?

Why doesn’t this glorious day make your heart glad?

For you see I awoke this morning to a tiny birds sweet little song,

And I went with Dean to the fishing hole and caught one this_____ long.

Now tomorrow we are going to go up to old man Carter’s lake.

We got to cross two pastures and tonight I dig night crawlers for our bait.

Have you ever been fishing sir said the little boy to the old man?

What was it like when you were little so that I may understand?

Mister said the little boy again; did you not ever have any kind of dreams?

Like what it was you wanted to be when you grew up and became eighteen?

Now me, said the little boy I just can’t decide since grandpa told me to take it slow

Because that life in itself was one heck of a ride.

The old man looked up from his folded hands that lay resting on his knee.

He dared a glance and gazed on the face of the little one that looked like he.

Startled he let out a gasping sigh; he collected his thoughts and began to cry.

You see boy, I too did have dreams, I dreamt of fortune and fame,

But I became trapped in a trap of my own undoing in the world of pride in a fool’s game.

You see son I started out life very much like you.

I hunted and fished and I also caught a long one or two.

I climbed pasture fences on old man Noah’s farm;

I rode wild horse and laughed when I broke my arm.

Then I grew up to be what I thought was a man when I became eighteen.

Hunting and fishing, jumping pasture fences began to fade into another dream.

A living had to be made and bills soon to be paid, life became a daily chore.

You plot and plan to make it another day and soon routine ask of you even more.

The old man stopped when he saw the look on the little boy’s tiny face.

He thought of himself at that age and he now felt shame and disgrace.

He then broke out into a hearty rasping laughter…you know son, maybe you’re right.

What would you say if you and me were to go out and dig us some night crawlers tonight?

The little boy smiled and the old did man too…

They left the park together walking side by side down the street.

And when on the corner they came; twain as one their bodies did meet.

I went fishing that next day and I caught one this_________long.

J. Allen Wilson © 7/2007