I never thought my thirties would weigh so much,
With chaos and confusion's constant touch.

I dreamed I'd join the great, the wise, the tall,
Yet no one told me of the truths that call.

They never warned of sleepless nights I'd face,
Or dreams of rest, escape's brief, fleeting grace.

I never knew my heart would bear its share,
Of friends' betrayals, loss, and love's despair.

No voice foretold the load of life's demands,
Or years pressed hard by fate's unyielding hands.

The grown-up life is far beyond my heart,
Which clings to youth, unwilling to depart.

A soul still tender as a child’s might be,
Afraid of life, yet yearning to break free.