Apparently, there’s a version 1 and 2 to this poem, so here we go.

————-

“If I had my life to live over”　by Nadine Star　(Version 1)

If I had my life to live over again，
I’d try to make more mistakes next time，
I would relax，
I would limber up，
I would be crazier than I’ve been on this trip，
I know very few things I’d take seriously any more.
I would take more chances，
I would take more Trips，
I would scale more mountains，
I would swim more rivers，
And I would watch more sunsets.
I would eat more Ice cream and fewer beans.
I would have more actual troubles
And fewer imaginary ones.

You see…
I was one of those people who lived
Prophylactically and sensibly and sanely，
Hour after hour and day after day.
Oh， I’ve had my moments
And if I had it to do all over again.
I’d have many more of them.
In fact， I’d try not to have anything else，

Just moments，

One after another，

Instead of living so many years ahead of my day.

I’ve been one of those people
Who never went anywhere without a thermometer，
A hot water bottle， a gargle，
A Raincoat and a parachute

If I had it to do all over again，
I’d travel lighter，
Much lighter， than I have.
I would start barefoot earlier in the spring，
And I’d stay that way later in the fall.
And I would ride more merry-go-rounds，
And catch more gold rings，
And greet more people，
And pick more flowers，
And dance more often.

If I had it to do all over again.

But you see，
I don’t.

————-
“If I had my life to live over” by Nadine Star (Version 2)

If I had my life to live over，
I’d dare to make more mistakes next time.
I’d relax， I would limber up.
I would be sillier than I have been this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances.

I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers.
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.
I would perhaps have more actual troubles，
but I’d have fewer imaginary ones.

You see， I’m one of those people who live
sensibly and sanely hour after hour，
day after day.

Oh， I’ve had my moments，
And if I had it to do over again，
I’d have more of them.
In fact， I’d try to have nothing else.
Just moments， one after another，
instead of living so many years ahead of each day.

I’ve been one of those people who never goes anywhere
without a thermometer， a hot water bottle， a raincoat
and a parachute.
If I had to do it again， I would travel lighter than I have.

If I had my life to live over，
I would start barefoot earlier in the spring
and stay that way later in the fall.
I would go to more dances.
I would ride more merry-go-rounds.
I would pick more daisies.

November 7, 2009 6:15 AM