A Puzzlement

When I was a boy, world was but a spot
What was so was so, what was not was not
Now I'm a man, world has changed a lot
Some things nearly so, others nearly not

There are times I almost think I am not sure of what I absolutely know
Very often find confusion in conclusion I concluded long ago
In my head are many facts which as a student I had studied to procure
In my head are many facts of which
I wish I was more certain I was sure

Is a puzzlement

Shall I join with other nations in alliance?
If allies are weak, am I not best alone?
If allies are strong with power to protect me
Might they not protect me out of all I own?
Is a danger to be trusting one another
One will seldom want to do what other wishes
But unless someday somebody trusts somebody
There'll be nothing left on earth exceptin' fishes

There are times I almost think nobody's
Sure of what he absolutely knows
Everybody finds confusion in conclusions he concluded long ago
And it puzzles me to learn that though
A man may be in doubt of what he knows
Very quickly will he bite, he'll fight to
Prove that what he does not know is so

Ah, sometimes I think that people are going mad
Ah, sometimes I think that people are not so bad
But no matter what I think, I must go on living life
As builder of my kingdom, I must go forth
Be father to my children and husband to each wife
Etcetera, etcetera, and so forth

If my Lord in Heaven put it so, then away
Every day I try to live another day
If my Lord in Heaven put it so, then away
Every day I do my best for one more day
But is a puzzlement