Did You?

Did you ever think in your wildest dreams
That you would put fun after work?
Play after responsibility?
That a drink with friends would be with one eye on the clock
The other on your gut?

Did you ever think that your dreams wouldn't come true?
That anything you believed had to happen
The horizon lay so far away as to be invisible
Did you ever think you would poo poo someone else's dreams?
Tell them to be practical? Be grounded? Down to earth?

Did you ever look ino the mirror and startle at the man looking back?
How his eyes have grown sad over time, his hair gray and thinning
Did you ever think that you would look into your own eyes and
Find only yourself to stare back at you?  Unbelieving?
Did you ever look at your hands and see that freckles
Are now age spots, or liver spots or scars, or dry skin?

Did you ever think that you would settle?  Give up a little at first?
Then find that the war was lost a long time ago, a battle at a time?
That once inspirational music is now classic or just simply old?
Did you ever believe you would postpone the good life?
That college, and bills and cars and birthday presents would come first?

Did you ever look at at the moon at night and wonder who else saw it?
Having much the same dreams, worries, joys and trials as you?
Did you ever doubt that their blood was as red, or happiness as complete?
Did you drift slowly back to earth, and find solid ground again?
Lift your foot, place it forward, and begin again?

Did you?