Once upon a time

Once upon a time there was a place,
where all was well.

For if it had not been so,
how could we know what we long for?
Had we never tasted paradise,
how would we see what is wrong?

This imperfection in our world,
I believe it was not always so.

Once upon a time there was a place,
where all was well.

If my soul has never known such a place,
then how can I long to go home,
to go there again?
If there has never been true peace within me,
how can I know what it should feel like?

This hate and death and destruction,
I believe that once we knew better.

Once upon a time there was a place,
where we will never be able to return to.

But if we give up trying to rebuild that place,
even though we know it to be impossible,
we will never know even this fraction of peace.
If we give up hope,
we will forget that such a place once,
truly,
did exist.

I wish that we will never become so dead inside.