Yesterday when I was young The taste of love was sweet as rain upon my tongue; I teased at life as if it were a foolish game The way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame. The thousand dreams I dreamed the splendid things I planned-- I always built to last on weak and shifting sand; I lived by night and shunned the naked light of day And only now I see how the years ran away. Yesterday when I was young So many happy songs were waiting to be sung So many wayward pleasures lay in store for me And so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see. I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out I never stopped to think what life was all about; And ev'ry conversation I can now recall Concerned itself with me and nothing else at all. Yesterday the moon was blue And ev'ry crazy day brought something new to do I used my magic age as if it were a wand And never saw the waste and emptiness beyond. The game of love I played with arrogance and pride And ev'ry flame I lit too quickly quickly died; The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away And only I am left on stage to end the play. There are so many songs in me that won't be sung I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue; The time has come for me to pay for yesterday When I was young.