Ellis Paul

YOU’LL NEVER BE THIS YOUNG AGAIN

I met a walkin’ man

His life fit in his pockets

His thumb was in mid-air

On a road in Millinocket

A six string guitar

And his girlfriend’s locket

Going my way,

My way

For a dream

He left the mills,

He left the bricks

He left the mortar

I told him I could take him

To the Massachusetts’ border

He sang like a jukebox

On an endless roll of quarters

Down the highway

On a bright, lit,

Summer day

(Chorus)

Oh, You’ll never be this young again

The train conductor’s

Calling your ticket

And If it ain’t now,

Then when?

The mountain top

Ain’t gonna wait forever

Fill your lungs with oxygen

And take your first step

Breathe out,

Breathe in,

You’ll never be this young again

An old friend said,

“Ellis, I’ve been living in a cubicle

Making cold calls

Popping pharmaceuticals

I thought my whole my life

Would read more like a musical”

So write your own

West Side Story

Shake off the shackles

Buy a tackle box a boat

A cabin on Sebago

To think,

To float

When the typewriter’s clackin’

The novel gets wrote

I’m telling you now

No risk,

No glory

You only get so many heartbeats

You only get so many first kisses

So sweet

Dreams don’t come easy

And they don’t come cheap

Don’t let the haters

Kick them out of you,

Out of you