We never saw the sky grow still,
no longer calling out our names.
The hopscotch squares have faded now,
the swings forgot their games.

We never heard the wind slow down,
no longer racing past our feet.
The summers now have schedules tight,
and magic took a seat.

We never guessed the stars would shrink,
just tiny dots against the night.
Bedtime lost its whispered tales,
and dreams stayed small, polite.

We never felt our hearts grow quiet,
a little lost but somehow bold—
until we turned, just once, to find
that childhood days were old.