empirical shadows and beautiful light

i rouse the hard luck of my youth
inside my mind then paint it here
for all that i  now understand
it seems to  me that love is rare
the days have  come and surely gone
when i was but  a little boy
my world was  rough and filled with blame
for everything  within that void
no sympathy was  for me then
no solitude for  me to hide
my youth was  but a broken dream
by which a  tearful lullaby
was sung to  calm my weariness
and yet it  failed to sooth my heart
my angels could  not guide me from
the road on  which my soul embarked
with every day  and every night
i whispered  such a hopeful prayer
then closed my  eyes to dream again
into a  place of no despair