I once lived in a world where everything was fun

And the snow glistened in the glow of sunlight during the nippy winters

Sipping hot chocolate through a curly straw

Bundled up in at least five layers at a time

And the waves chased my feet up and down the beach in the summer

Shrieking laughter echoing in the breeze

Towering over the crumbling castles beneath my feet

But now the simple frosty winters call for misery,

And the summer has too swiftly faded away

Each season aches of the dreaded tomorrows

And the absence of those who didn't choose to stay

- I wonder if I'll see them again someday

I remember a world where there was fun in everything

And the ice on the pavement was an ice-skating rink

Slipping over on the way to school

Laughing as I clutched the nearest lamppost

And that every puddle was a swimming pool for my feet

Splashing the water up my brother's legs

Watching my wellies fill up with their very own puddles

But now ice is only a burden

And I fear of the fall it will bring,

and my wellies are thrown carelessly into a cupboard

An item of clothing and no longer a plaything

- The yearning of my childhood sings

I grieve for a world where I had no cares

And there was no such thing as mismatching clothes

No colours clashed and no patterns too bold

Wearing my hair as a birds nest every lazy day

And I didn't understand insecurities

Seeing nothing wrong with my petite frame

Not bothering to preen in the mirror – I was perfect the way I was

But now I shy away from wearing a swimsuit or bikini

And my outfits are carefully critiqued

My teenage scarred face is dusted with make-up

No longer is my style truly unique

- Why should I try to impress people? Why can't I just face defeat?

I miss the world where everything was magic

And where twinkling lights in the black watched over me

Watercolours painting the sky before I awoke

Glorious light rising from the horizon like an angel

And where the dancing green became amber every autumn

Fluttering down like crumbling butterflies

Watching them and butterflies as though they were fairies

But now I focus on the dull science behind it

And the amazement has run dry over the years

It's not magic if there's always an explanation

It's not beautiful if things aren't as they once appeared

That blissful magic has gone and been replaced with fears

I remember a world which I thought was never-ending

And every day felt like forever

Playing with the friends I'd always known

Following the same care-free routine

And never thinking of the possibility of change

Living always in the joyful moments

Never reflecting on the stress or the pain

But now I only look back on those memories

those who I thought would be constant have been left behind

Life is cruel and relentless

As I've pushed myself up its sharp incline

So many priorities slipping my fingers but I don't have the time

I remember when I wished to grow up faster

And thought I was ready for everything to unfurl

Ignorance is bliss. I mourn for my freedom

I can't begin to say how I miss that old world