Never

Someone oh so long ago
Wrote a note that told me to
Never give up on your dreams
Never stop trying to be

And so I spent my years
Mainly sleeping just to dream
And learning to be someone else
I wasn't too good, it seemed

As I blundered on in life
I found another note that told me
Never stop your searching
Always use your heart to see

And so I spent my years
Just looking for the signs
That would never come
And found that love was really blind

Stumbled, falling, crawling
Through this life again
I found another voice telling me
Something about never again

Before the words could finish
I swore I'd never make it anyway
And stood up, turned about to go
Arms reached out and asked me to stay

For every Never the voice said
I found a reason for my escape
Back and forth we tossed this blade
Until we both were running red

That's when I turned around to see
Who I was hurting and refusing
Then I saw that it was me
But older wiser, with poorer vision

I stopped my youthful resistance
Felt the tears about to flow
But instead all I managed to say
Was a weak, "Don't let me go"

This old man right in front of me
Just asked for two more minutes
Of our time, both his and mine
To share a heart and what was in it

Never stop your dreaming
Because I couldn't stop remembering
How it was to be like you
So much to fight, so promising

Never stop your searching
Because the answers will never come
They'll run and hide away from you
Until your lessons are done

Never stop your believing
Because love is a fickle mistress
She will test and tease and promise you
She is not easily impressed

Never stop settle, or give in
To lesser or to easy things
Why be a poor old man like me
Than live like you, a future king

Never, never forget about me
Though you might regret this encounter
Grow old with me and treat me good
For I will one day be in your mirror

And so I spent my life
Still stumbling through life
But quite clear now what I must do
In sun or rain, in love or strife

To never stop, and never give in
To fight, to hope and to believe
But most of all, I remember him
That old man and his precious gift