Tormented by his past
And by his open mind
This sad and tired young man
Did try at last and fast
To escape from real life.

Death of young sibling,
Elder brother’s absence,
Gore and agony
Experienced in the past
From a boy who jumped at last.

This is the basic background
Of Holden’s dreadful past
And he of twisted mind
He who feels hopeless
Holden is crying in the inside.

Children game recalled
The Catcher in the Rye
Wishing he was the one
Children’s worriless lives
When everything was alright.

To grow old young is to lose inherent innocence,
And to see the finite nature of life, even while death is years
Off. It is to throw off the follies of childhood and don the weight of
Aging. Yet to grow young old is to be ignorant; in bliss and freedom, weightless.
To find happiness in life and to laugh at the world, worriless
And light, able to take flight. But which is better?

It is true that wisdom is prized, and joy is coveted.

To grow old young is to sacrifice the beauty in youth–
Surrender it to the leaping fire that refines the ambitious into
The heavy-burdened souls of the wise. People must grieve the death
Of endearing ignorance and instead, see sorrow and mistakes remake youth.
But to grow young old is to put a smile on the faces of those around them.
To fly away with dreams and to get back up after failed attempts and
Laugh off trials. Yet it is also to set people’s jaws grinding as they
Wonder why they have not grown up. But that is all the fun.

It is true that wisdom is prized, and joy is coveted.

To grow old young is to embrace the long run with diligent
Care. To embrace trials with patience and to comfort those who
Are caught in the sorrow of watching youth and joy die. This is good.
To grow young old is to be light-hearted and laugh often and to
Make others laugh too. To be there to lift others up when they fall.
And to rise again and again, no matter the fail. This too is good.

It is true that wisdom is prized, and joy is coveted.