Remember We Used To Chase Butterflies

Remember the fields and the destitute lands

Where we’d run free and scrape our knees

The mountainous ranges beyond the outlines

Were nothing but a pedal or two away

The petals from flowers would float in the air

And lower themselves onto excited young minds

Remember the girls that we’d chase after class

And the eggs that we’d break upon houses

The screaming and laughter and ecstasy

Of being once young and ignorant

We ignored how serious this life must be lived

We knew not how freedom is dangerous

We learnt that we musn’t dream too big

Or we’ll fall with the bums in the laneways

Remember when birds would swoop us

We’d throw rocks and then jump into bushes

Remember the cricket bats we’d use

To break apples on the road, for the birds to eat

Remember now life is restrictive

We must hold ourselves tight and responsible

Or we shall fall in the slums and the gutters

We don’t want to fall in the slums or the gutters

Remember we used to chase butterflies

Now we just buy our own vegetables.