Still, you dream

by Deborah Moffatt

In some long ago
once-upon-a-time time, 
a child half-asleep could dream
of a life to come, of fame and fortune,
of true love and happy-ever-after 
and never even consider 
any other future,

back when wars 
happened in far-away lands
and hunger was only that hour
before dinner when the grown-ups 
drank cocktails and laughter
was their answer to every
little worry. 

Years later, still
you dream that what isn’t
might yet be: the fame that came
and went, the fortune you never made,
the happy-ever-after that ended
in tears, the love that died
in a far-away war,

and you laugh
and drink a little too much,
and take pleasure in every day
that passes, and hope for an end
to all war, and soothe your hunger
for the life you didn’t have with dreams
of a once-upon-a-time time.