I

achieved

–

–

my

dream . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

you

achieved

–

–

your

dream . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

–

–

–

it’s

not

nearly

–

a

s

–

sweet

–

a

s

–

initially

seemed . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

not

nearly

–

a

s

–

sweet . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

not

nearly

–

a

s

–

sweet . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

not

nearly

–

a

s

–

sweet

–

a

s

–

initially

seemed . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

I

am

here . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

you

are

there . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

i

t

h

–

–

–

accum

ulating

time

–

a

n

d

–

distance

between . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

time

–

a

n

d

–

distance . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

distance

–

a

n

d

–

time . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

were

all

–

–

the

rewards

–

w

e

–

would

find . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

r

o

m

–

–

–

all

–

o

f

–

that

romance,

–

a

n

d

–

rapture,

–

a

n

d

–

rhyme . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

time

–

a

n

d

–

distance . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

distance

–

a

n

d

–

time . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

dimming

–

t

h

e

–

days

–

–

gone

by . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

dimming . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

dimming . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

dimming . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

t

h

e

–

–

–

days

–

–

gone

by . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

r

o

m

–

–

–

all

–

o

f

–

that

romance,

–

a

n

d

–

rapture,

–

a

n

d

–

rhyme . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

before

–

w

e

–

pursued

–

–

those

dreams

–

i

n

–

our

youth . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

not

knowing

–

–

how

much

–

w

e

–

might

lose . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ not

knowing

–

–

how

much

–

w

e

–

might

lose . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

regret

sings

–

–

relent

lessly,

–

–

the

most

–

–

haunting

tunes

–

o

f

–

truth . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Regret

sings

–

–

relent

lessly . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Regret

sings

–

–

relent

lessly . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Regret

sings

–

–

relent

lessly . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

t

h

e

–

–

–

most

–

–

haunting

tunes

–

o

f

–

truth . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

it’s

not

achieve

ment

–

o

f

–

the

goal

–

–

that

fills

–

–

the

soul . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It’s

not

achieve

ment

–

o

f

–

the

goal . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It’s

not

achieve

ment

–

o

f

–

the

goal . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It’s

not

achieve

ment

–

o

f

–

the

goal . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

that

fills

–

–

the

soul . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

–

–

–

who

–

i

s

–

with

you

–

–

when

–

y

o

u

–

go . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

who

–

i

s

–

with

you

–

–

where

–

y

o

u

–

go . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

who

–

i

s

–

with

you

–

–

a

t

–

–

the

end

–

o

f

–

that

road.

Reflection: This poem was largely inspired by the ending of “La La Land” where actress Emma Stone looks at Ryan Gosling playing the piano who both have separate new lives (especially her with a husband and child) and shares a secret smile with him for the times gone by that her husband/child know nothing about. It was a great moment in the movie.