Rhyme Royal: Walking At Dusk

When I was young my heroes were like gods,
Without a flaw, unable to do wrong,
But slowly I learned things that were at odds
With what I had envisioned all along.
  The cracks showed in the walls I'd thought were strong,
  And shook my faith in all that I had known;
  Their feet were only clay, not solid stone.

There were those also whom I did despise,
Who friends and family taught me to deride,
Until I saw them through another's eyes
Or heard the tales told from the other side.
  My narrowed eyes were slowly opened wide,
  And as the years went marching by I learned
  To see the virtues of those I had spurned.

The simple way I saw things in my youth,
With dark and light split up like night and day,
Still tempts me with uncomplicated truth,
Though black and white are now all shades of gray.
  This twilight makes it hard to find my way,
  And now my feet go slow where once they flew,
  But age and wisdom make each step more true.