some lessons take long

where all are left to fight alone and cold
your heart is broken by the force of dread
so hard is patience when you're growing old

on a knife's edge between the tired and bold
each wonders if they'll have to beg their bread
where all are left to fight alone and cold

the story has so many times been told
and every word a hundred times been said
so hard is patience when you're growing old

and yet each one remains calm and controlled
not giving sign of what's held in each head
where all are left to fight alone and cold

shallow the breath of those not yet consoled
and deep the anger of those who have fled
so hard is patience when you're growing old

not even those who took the foreign gold
could laugh when they saw just how the day sped
where all are left to fight alone and cold
so hard is patience when you're growing old