Grow old

To see how every face

gets sucked into old age

and how every experience

becomes its very own past tense

in the lines around your eyes

that can’t lie although they try

    they could see the signposts

    but didn't know what they were told

    so they never grew up

    no they only grew old

   

To know that every heart

in the end is torn apart

to show its own complexity

and that’s a lot for us to see

you don’t want to but you cry

and don’t we all know just why

    they see the signs along the way

    but can't make out what they say

    so they'll never grow up

    no they'll only grow old

              but to you and me it means fuck-all

              'cause it just ain't rock'n'roll

1990