Why, Sir?

[Volaticus]

A pretty penny I would pay Maybe: 'I would pay a pretty penny'..
If again I could be young .. 'if I could be young again'. For me it sounds less stiff and more natural this way.
To have my life cast ahead of me I haven't got much knowledge of meter and such, but I think it reads smoother if you take out 'cast'.
And have my head still dumb I like this line, but 'dumb' seemed a bit weak choice of word here.
For I've seen troubles, few, though great
And, I, becoming all the wiser! I don't think you need the first comma.
Have reckoned more than once or twice
That it ain't a use to ask for "how?" I don't think you need 'for'. Maybe 'no' instead of 'a'.
Or even bother with the "why, sir? 's" I don't think you need 'the'. Maybe just 'Or even bother with "why, sir?"'
Because this task called living
Comes not with map or manual.
In short, we are born to a cold world
To figure out, make do, get trampled
And just as fast, when luck changes
Night falls, compelling us to turn home---
As poor and helpless as ever.

Hi,
I like your subject of matter here. I'm not liking the inverted lines (I think they're called), I've noted above how I think they could read better, plus some other thoughts I got on my reads.
Best,
LB