Yesterday, when I was young The taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue I teased at life as if it were a foolish game The way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame.
The thousand dreams I dreamed, The splendid things I planned I always built, alas, on weak and shifting sand I lived by night and shunned the naked light of day And only now I see how the years ran away.
Yesterday, when I was young. So many happy songs were waiting to be sung. So many wayward pleasures lay in store for me And so much pain my eyes refused to see.
I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out I never stopped to think what life was all about And every conversation I can now recall Concerned itself with me, and nothing else at all.
Yesterday, the moon was blue And every crazy day brought something new to do I used my magic age as if it were a wand And never saw the waste and emptiness beyond.
The game of love I played with arrogance and pride And every flame I lit too quickly, quickly died, The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away And only I am left on stage to end the play.
There are so many songs in me that won't be sung I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue, The time has come for me to pay for yesterday ... when I was young.