One Day We Woke Up

One day we woke up and
found we were young.
We laughed and played and cried.
We had few responsibilities.

One day we woke up
and found we were older.
We were still young but mature.
We laughed and played and cried,
but in moderation.

One day we woke up and
found we were all grown up.
We laughed, but not often.
We did not play; we worked,
we cried, but rarely.

One day we woke up and
found we were getting old.
We feared death and
cried oftener. Our kids
had moved away.

One day we woke up and
found we were old.
Our head was gray and white.
We knew that we would die soon.

One day we did not wake up.
We slept and did not wake up.
There were no dreams.
We slept long and deep.