Those Were the Days
/Long ago were those school days
Strung up they form a pearl lace
Sparkling in my memory
Each bead unfurls a story
Bitter or sweet
So many
Pertained to that young age
Laughter was genuinely carefree
Friends shared secrets
Swore not to tell
Forgot what they were but still
Remember the punishment from our teacher
For the sake of not betraying good friends
Those youthful days
Dreams piled up sky high
Big and wild
Dare to own them
For being naïve
Goals were enormous
Mostly idealistic or unrealistic
With a belief future was unlimited
Not afraid of falling
As it was easy to bounce back
Now aged
Most dreams evanesced
Many ambitions vanished
Friendship dissipated
Yet those memory pearls never lose luster
Continue to glow like night stars
By Shih-Fang Wang
From: United States