Dress Rehearsal

Little girl running on the sidewalk, how far from your mother will you go?
Is running a dress rehearsal for adulthood?
Or is it just a game,
Something only a child would know?

Skipping back and forth on the sidewalk
A little further every time
Seems like so much of my life
Has been wasted on song and wine

And when I vacillated so much
Not sure of what to do
Shying away like a young fool
From a lover’s gentle touch

Little girl running away from her mother
So pure and innocent still
All of us running away from something
Things hidden too well from each other

All of us run on the sidewalk
A poignant leave-taking we all must make
Leavings are full of heartbreak
A journey we all must take


Chuck Connors, October 30, 2009