My Back Pages Paroles

Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.
Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth
"Rip down all hate" I screamed
Lies that life is black and white
spoke from my skull, I dreamed.
Romantic facts of musketeers
foundationed deep, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.
Girls' faces formed the forward path
from phony jealousy
to memorizing politics
Of ancient history.
Flung down by corpse evangelists
unthought of, though, somehow.
Ah but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.
A self-ordained professor's tongue
too serious to fool Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.
In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand
at the mongrel dogs who teach
fearing not that I'd become my enemy
in the instant that I preach.
My pathway led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.
Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect.
Good and bad, I define these terms
quite clear, no doubt, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.