by Peter W. Robinson

Created on: November 23, 2008

from here it looks like a very bad scene
no playoff stud, no beauty queen
all of the future that used to be there
quickly evaporates in the night air

together they made such a logical pair
a corporate prince and a corporate heir
protected they thought by bulletproof youth
but soon overwhelmed by blistering truth

she was too ready, a quivering star
did not know her power, did not know how far

mortals would travel to stand in her gaze
the breathless ignorance of these heady days

he was plain nervous and out of his league
made of sharp elbows and built from fatigue
he knew if he slipped he would never return
he'd never imagined they made 'em like her

a homecoming dance, all eyes on the stage
one single spot for one single page
the yearbook reveals a bittersweet scene
two children are dancing, now somehow obscene

later that evening decisions are made
the night is still young and youth must be paid
so she had a couple and he had a few
and here are some dreams that never come true

an old campus dive and a party too far
glances exchanged, a drive in a car
a slide on the ice and a plunge to the deep
remorseless as iron, cold secrets to keep

so here is a parent melting in pain
no longer strong and no longer sane
for all that they did, it wasn't enough
and raising a teen can be dangerous stuff

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