Such a Short Space of Time

I love, not just those
I knew back then,
But those
Who were young
Back then,
But who’ve since
Come to grief, who,
Having soared so high,
Found the
Consequent descent
Too dreadful to bear,
With my youth itself,
Which was only
Yesterday,
No, even less time,
A mere moment ago,
How could
Such a short space
Of time
Cause such devastation?