When I Was Small by Adrian Plass

I've been heartbroken lately because of different situations which some friends have been going through, and i was reminded of a poem by one of my favorite contemporary British authors.

when i was small
i didn't know the world had fallen long ago
i stumbled often, fell from trees
enjoyed the pride of bloodied knees
and banks were made for rolling down
or sliding when the snow had come

my bones would bend more easily
even when they broke they mended soon
and people gave me things to cheer me up

i once went sledging with a friend at night
he didn't trust the moon and he was right
it slipped away as we began our ride
but i was glad; i loved the dark
for all i cared we could have sledged into eternity
i wished that pale, hissing dream would never end
it did. i have the scars

i still have all the scars from all the falls
and mainly on my knees
but somewhere deep inside where no one ever sees
i have some other scars that never seem to heal
the cause of them i cannot now recall
but then i didn't know the world had fallen long ago
when i was small.