Of gold and tin

As I wake up in the morning and I embrace the coming day
With the sun outside my window, shining ray next to golden ray,
I look out at the light blue sky and at the birds that fly by high,
A smile comes upon my face; I'm happy and I don't know why.
I get out from beneath my sheets; to live my day I cannot wait,
I go outside to face my fate, a question on my mind bears weight:
Will I be all that I can be? Will I do well or will I sin?
Will I do all that I can do? Will I be gold or simply tin?

The day goes by and I soon learn that love and wealth are hard to earn,
That other people often change and their emotions quickly turn.
Though east and west I travel far I learn that things are all the same,
That in the crowd you lose your name, if you are weak or if you're tame.
But I try hard to stay alive, to make my mark upon this day,
And once again I stop to think, for in my mind the questions stay.
Am I the man that I can be? Do I do well or do I sin?
Do I do all that I can do? Am I of gold or am I tin?

And soon the day comes to a close so I head home to get some rest,
For I am tired and confused; an aging bird that needs a nest.
I sit in bed and clear my head and think of all the friends I met,
Of all the things I did and said and all the things I could not get.
But sleep soon comes and I can't fight, I close my eyes and I let go,
And as the sun goes down and sets, for one last time I want to know.
Was I the man I should have been? Did I do well or did I sin?
Was I as good as could have been? Was I of gold or was I tin?

(Abdel-Rahman Semman)