gone as though they never had been   the years passed in a flash   what were their voices   are now wind through the pines   I had stood in the falling rain hoping I would attain some kind of wisdom   I had an eye on the one above who might shower on me some kind of explanation   but now I see that it’s here, this wisdom:   on my pillow, in my hands, right in front of me      I turn around the years have passed   as though they were a dream   all my glories have turned to ashes   that scatter in the breeze   I had thought that the day would dawn, I thought that night would fall all over me   I had thought that it all would be something that I could keep, like a trophy   but now I see that it’s here, that it’s now   it’s a gift, and it’s wonderful: a wondrous mystery      so what is gone let’s not regret   let’s long for what is here   they say you were a beautiful dancer   when you were a child   I would like to have known you then, when your eyes were just opening   to the wonders of this world   when you were without pride or fear, when you were like a lamb my dear, somewhat empty   but now I see that regret is a myth   don’t forget, it’s a gift: a wondrous mystery