What Did I Lose?

I feel just as light and just as new, just as frivolous as the morning dew.
There' no measure for how I knew, when tiny muscle turned strong sinew.

It is 'me' that has grown in form; I have grown in seamless norm;
Weathered every gale of storm, and basked in caresses warm.

What makes a child different from me? I was but one myself, in joyful glee;
As I wandered along a quizzical spree, to unveil youth on soft, bended knee

I ask myself, "What did I lose?". "Did I somehow wrongly choose?".
"Did I tighten imaginary noose?", "In the bargain set innocence loose?"

Is it not plain to see and find that in all I ever did to grind
The mill that was undefined, I only found meanders blind?

But 'stop' was never meant to be. 'I' am always wiser and free;
Always the first to taste and see, the death of yet another 'me'.

As I walk along each phase of life, I set beneath the sharp, carving knife
The inherent innocence of 'being' rife; and trade my wealth for iron strife.

The choice is thus made and aped by each of our offspring shaped,
And wrapped within shadows draped, to salvage innocence scraped.

Is it too late, and must I wait for shriveled skin and shaky gait?
To reclaim and clean the slate, to bask in innocent nature, innate.