If Only Poem by Paula Glynn

If only he had sat his college exams,
If only he had not gone drinking,
His friends injured,
After his crashing his van.

If only, if only, if only.

If only she had kept her head,
And had not had a drink,
If only she had seen the cyclist,
And slowed down the car to think.

If only, if only, if only.

If only he had not gotten into,
A bad crowd, that drank and took drugs,
If only he had not taken that chemical,
And not given everyone a hug,
His brain being destroyed.

If only, if only, if only.

If only she had not taken up smoking,
If only she had not given in to peer pressure,
Her lungs now black with tar,
Struggling to breathe,
As she remembers that smoking rock star.

If only, if only, if only.

If only his father had not beaten him,
If only he had done better at school,
If only he had a better childhood,
And had not been treated like a fool.

If only, if only, if only.

If only she had been born Mariah Carey,
If only she could sing like a songbird,
And write music like Mozart,
If only she had continued her music studies.

If only, if only, if only.

If only she had the time,
She could sit down and write a book,
Her kids screaming that they want pizza,
And her council house needing cleaning.

If only, if only, if only.

If only he was not mentally ill,
If only he did not need to take doctor's pills,
And could work like everyone else,
And not have problems with his mental health.

If only, if only, if only.

All hopes and dreams never lost,
Success in life should never come,
At a moral loss,
For dreams can be followed,
Just as the stars come out at night,
No stage to create fright,
For celebrate your dreams,
As you dance in the moonlight,
And drink champagne.