Shadow child

When I was young I saw a man in uniform
He asked me for a dime to get something to eat
I said, "Mister, you look like the man on the
movie screen, what are you doing out in the street?"
He said he lost his arm in Vietnam and "If you
don't know go ask your mom. She'll let you
know as she rocks you to sleep."

Hey, I heard you found the life you wanted
Hey, I'm not sure that this life's for me
Hey, I'm finding it hard to stand and be counted
I'm a child of the Seventies

When I was young I felt a burning part of me
Maybe that's the thing that makes me real
Or maybe that's just something I left open
With the latch key, left for anyone to steal

But if you don't know or understand
It just gets worse when you're a man
I guess I wish I still knew everything

When I was young I held my dreams in front of me
Now I pick the pieces up off the floor
Maybe that's the key to knowing what you are, or what you'll be
But that key won't unlock the door,
It doesn't matter anymore