Lost Youth - THE SUNDAY ODE

By Manu Gunasena

I wish I had my life again
to live but not in vain;
Realise rainbows beyond the rain
my vanished youth regain:
To traverse fields where daisies bloom:
In sunlit streams to bathe my gloom
and cleanse away Time's stain:
To relive the joys I once relished
In misspent youth's my dearest wish.

To be the bee on a honeycom
fresh from the roses' scent
Enriched with nectar, freely roam,
to another bloom and vent
My hopes, my dreams with passions zest
To blossom at its youthful best
which old age now prevent:
To turn the night to morn and wring
Careless freedoms that youth does bring

To breathe again with hopes born new,
to chase elusive dreams;
And dare to make those dreams come true
upon the highest steeps:
To match performance with desire,
To rake the coals, renew the fire
and dance in sunlit beams;
To voyage on turbulent sea
And dare the gulfs to swallow me.

Ah to strive with Adonis and wring
ambrosia to the brim;
With Alexander march to the brink
of unknown worlds with vim;
Discover again, my fears to soothe,
The aphrodisia of youth,
give flight to every whim;
Resurrect youth and see burnished
My soul's mansion that time tarnished.

I wish I could in joyful mirth
relive those sunshine days;
Labour my soul a painless birth,
savour youth's brave new ways;
And see restored hopes I cherished
Which now in Time's rim lie perished
denied a single ray.
Sip from the fount of youth break free
The shadow of Time followin' me.

But in my heart youth will remain
never to see the sun;
That time eclipsed in a far off plain
and barred hope's light from one.
Now as I wait the reaper's tread,
I have no qualms, I have no dread
to hear the death knell rung:
I wait rebirth for my heart to sing
And in my winter, see my spring.