Changing One’s Mind
The more I reflected on this idea of mine, the more I realised my mind wasn’t set.
I was very young
perhaps five or six,
and wanted to be
a cosmonaut.
My mum and dad
humoured me,
they didn’t say
I was a crackpot.
I grew older,
became mature,
changed my mind
when I was fifteen.
At that age I wished
to be a film actor
and be as famous
as James Byron Dean.
My awe of him
knew no bounds,
he was very talented
and had no flaws.
And furthermore
we had a lot in common:
I was, like him, a rebel
without a cause.
Soon after, I discovered
the female gender;
I thought a girlfriend
would be a better bet.
The more I reflected
on this idea of mine
the more I realised
my mind wasn’t set.
All my aspirations
changed all the time
because they were
many and varied.
But I wasn’t worried;
knew that eventually
I would settle down
and get married.
I have lost count
of all the dreams
and the fantasies
I continually sought.
Having back-pedalled
on every decision,
it isn’t surprising
they came to naught.
© Luigi Pagano 2021
perhaps five or six,
and wanted to be
a cosmonaut.
My mum and dad
humoured me,
they didn’t say
I was a crackpot.
I grew older,
became mature,
changed my mind
when I was fifteen.
At that age I wished
to be a film actor
and be as famous
as James Byron Dean.
My awe of him
knew no bounds,
he was very talented
and had no flaws.
And furthermore
we had a lot in common:
I was, like him, a rebel
without a cause.
Soon after, I discovered
the female gender;
I thought a girlfriend
would be a better bet.
The more I reflected
on this idea of mine
the more I realised
my mind wasn’t set.
All my aspirations
changed all the time
because they were
many and varied.
But I wasn’t worried;
knew that eventually
I would settle down
and get married.
I have lost count
of all the dreams
and the fantasies
I continually sought.
Having back-pedalled
on every decision,
it isn’t surprising
they came to naught.
© Luigi Pagano 2021
So dangerous to look back on what may have been if you’d made another decision. Whatever routes we may have taken in life I have no doubt there would be regrets.
This poem is like a village pond — much deeper than it looks 😉
Good one Luigi!
Even if we wish to have taken a different course, there is nothing we can do to reverse the decision retrospectively. As far as regrets, no point in crying over spilled milk, as the saying goes. Thanks for reading and commenting Guaj.
How true Luigi. my youth was definitely wasted on me. I liked the progression in the poem, the maturing at fifteen was a neat touch. And the ‘might have been’s’, don’t they haunt us all – unless we are James Dean!
Hi Dougie, I believe that looking back everybody thinks they could have done better and we look up to successful people.
Best, Luigi