A Little Bird Called Time

  "Daddy?  Where does time go?"
Oh, honey, how should I know?
  "Does it blow away in the breeze?
  Could it ever freeze?"
Honey . . . it just goes away
It's how we manage to have a yesterday
Without it we wouldn't have a past
Or a present or future that could last
   "But why does it have to go away?
   Why does it never stay?"
I suppose it has somewhere to be
Maybe it goes and visits its family
   "Whose time's parents, then?
   Who could ever be time's kin?"
The moon and the stars, time goes up, up and away
Every night, we don't even realize it's not going to stay
But it comes back to us in memories
Stays with us for a while before going away in the breeze
Time passes by
In the blink of an eye
It never stops, can't ever be trapped, be shut-

   "Dad? What are you talking about, what?"
Didn't you just ask . . . Didn't you just say . . . ?
I swear you asked where time went just today
   "Dad . . . that was years and years ago
   Back when I was a child and didn't know
   Way back when
   I thought the stars were kin
   And all of winter was called December
   Way, way back when, Dad . . . remember?"
Oh, yes, I just forgot for a bit
The memory was so strong it made me forget
I'm sorry for the confusion, honey; I'm just tired
Work has been so hard lately; there's so much required-
   "Shh . . . quiet now; just rest
   No matter how muddled you get, you'll always be the best."
Oh, thank you, honey; your words are music to my ears
When raising a child . . . there are so many fears-

   "Mister? Are you okay?
   It's just . . . your daughter left the nursing home yesterday
   So may I ask who it is you're talking to?"
Oh . . . no one, no one; just the passing coo coo
A little bird that comes to my window before flying away in the breeze
The little bird that refuses to freeze . . .