Childhood Games

I remember when I was young and strong
How I'd grab the world by its wrists
And wrestle it to the ground
Tickle it 'til it begged me to stop
Never appreciating how strong I was
Never imagining that a day would come
When the world would reach back
And break me as a man
And the games we played,
If that is what they were
Would end, so that the sight of a child wrestling
With the world around her
Would break my heart and make me cry
Because I would know that
I would never play like that again
Or believe in a world full of dreams
And fantasies, happiness and joy
But would wonder why I hadn't spent
More time playing and less time
Trying to grow up to be
The lonely old man I am.

©ronvdm777
Oct 2019