I wrote Childlike on December 23rd, 2019 and have decided to share it now as it illustrates how I tend to regress at this time of year. On Christmas Day, 2017, I last saw my beloved little boy. And not a day passes when I don’t think of him or ponder what wonderful adventures he is on. Thus, I become childlike. The following verse was conceived in one such moment. Featured art is by Chiara Bautista.

Listen to Childlike by Richard Charles Stevens (Starman Suite)

Listen to Starman by Jack Nitzsche

i’m a child
in a grown-up world
a little boy lost
in the thick of it all
my wide eyes are hiding the universe inside them
got a pocketful of matches
little reason left to strike them
for here in my dark place
at least i can be
the scared little boy that the adults made me
.
they can be so cruel
you see
say nasty things that they say they don’t mean
take things away that they said were for keeps
laugh in your face when you just grazed your knees
they can be cruel
and exceedingly mean
i wish they could see what i see
i wish they could see what i see
.
i wish they could mean everything that they say
revising the theme of the games that they play
used to be fun
some way back in the day
now they tend to end in tears
and adhere to rule that states
one has to be cruel to be kind
one has to love tough
to toughen up the skin we’re in
that one has to sink ships to swim
loose lips need release all the venom within
shadows should narrow so no light can enter in
just to darken days and claim the win
.
i’m a child
in a grown-up world
a little boy lost
in the thick of it all
my wide eyes are tiring
my smile uninvited
got a single match remaining
yet no reason left to strike it
for here in my dark place
at least i can be
the scared little boy that the adults made me
.
i believe
in the faraway tree
i believe in the magic of fairytale dreams
i believe
in the faraway tree
.
i believe that every teardrop is a whisper to the sea
i believe in distant lands when all is calming and serene
.
i believe
in the faraway tree
i believe that one fine day
the adults may see what i see
the scared little boy that they made me
.
they may just say run wild be free
be all that you ever dreamed to be
if i had a single wish
then that would simply be
that they could be more childlike
just like me
they could be more childlike
just like me
just like me
.
i’m a child
in a grown-up world
a little boy lost
in the thick of it all
my wide eyes are hiding the universe inside them
.
if i had a single wish
then that would simply be
that they could be more childlike
just like me
they could be more childlike
just like me
.

Richard Charles Stevens

Keeper of The Crimson Quill

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