Days to Years

Once I met a man who I could swear was older than time itself
He lived in a home for the old and the lonely
He asked if he could hold my hand, and told of his old hot dog stand
And about all his children who never visit anymore

I asked if he were angry, and if he wanted to pray
But he just looked at me, and then he looked away
And he said

"Days turn to years, turn to centuries that fly
Who of us can know the day we will die?"

Once I met a boy, he was only seventeen
He told me he was sick with something he couldn't see
He asked if he could hold my hand, and he told me about all his plans
How he would travel all over the world and the seven seas

I asked if he were frightened by what he could not see.
At first he didn't answer, but then he looked at me
And he said

"Days turn to years turn to lifetimes that fly
Who of us can know the day we will die?

So, live while you're still alive,
And give while you have the time
Because before you know it, it just blows away
If only trees could tell the tale of all they've seen
In all their time; they grow so tall
How many loves? How many lives? How many summer skies?"

Oh, days turn to years turn to centuries that fly
Who of us can know how many
Days turn to years turn to centuries that fly
Who of us can know
Not one of us can know the day we will die.