Laurie’s Song [Act I Scene 3: Once I thought I’d never grow tall as this fence] (Laurie)

[LAURIE]
Once I thought I’d never grow tall as this fence
Time dragged heavy and slow

But April came and August went
Before I knew just what they meant
And little by little I grew
And as I grew I came to know
How fast the time could go

Once I thought I’d never go outside this fence
This space was plenty for me

But I walked down the road one day
And just happened I can’t say
But little by little it came to be
That line between thе earth and sky
Came beckoning to mе

Now the time has grown short
The world has grown so wide

I’ll be graduated soon
Why am I strange inside?

What makes me think I’d like to try
To go down all those roads beyond that line
Above the earth and ‘neath the sky?

Tomorrow when I sit upon
The graduation platform stand
I know my hand will shake
When I reach out to take that paper
With the ribboned band

Now that all the learning’s done
O who knows what will now begin?

O it’s so strange
I’m strange inside

The time has grown so short
The world so wide