journey then and now

our choices always take a country while
afraid to reap because others could sow
in heart of continent we long for isle
where other folk were easier to know
and simple laughter ever à propos
with leaves and flowers always on display
and little worry over length of day
so many things that now we can remark
but then we never knew quite what to say
though past or present we welcome the dark

long years ago some slaves carved the defile
through which still passes the road we would go
along each day though each in youthful style
would think the time we took was just too slow
things never were so simple even so
we still recall how we would once convey
our knowledge of each inch of the long way
the world we had seemed like a giant park
and we turned every duty into play
though past or present we welcome the dark

from every misadventure we'd resile
though each would cry out when they stubbed a toe
yet it was all too easy then to smile
and think that all that passed was just a show
and we could look in even without dough
without disgust and lacking all dismay
reckless of all the places we'd survey
not knowing how our choices would be stark
and always eager to enter the fray
each effort seeming no more than a lark
expecting that still onward we'd sashay
though past and present we welcome the dark

prince while the sun shine's you'd have us make hay
making full use of each declining ray
before on the next journey we embark
you seem to fear that we might go astray
or soon from predator become the prey
though past and present we welcome the dark