Another Time - Another Place

Not all progress is for the best...I long for the simpler, safer way of life that prevailed in my childhood.

Another Time…Another Place

 

I’m painfully aware as I regress down memory lane

That scene’s of my childhood slowly begin to wane

As I strive to recall them from the labyrinth of my brain

It was a time of innocence, of carefree happy days

Of childish pranks and mischief and summer holidays

Our doors were never locked, we children all ran free

And oh what fun we had riding the Calliope

We played stick ball, cops and robbers and other childish games

We roasted chestnuts by the fire, tossing pine cones in the flames

 

We always respected our teachers…mine happened to be nuns

We had never heard of pedophiles, no one came to school with guns

Schools were a place of learning, we had nothing to fear

(Certainly not a shooting gallery conducted by our peers!)

We always loved our country and saluted the flag with pride

And when our President was shot, I remember how we cried

Whenever we misbehaved it was made very clear

Parents were in charge as they swat us on the rear

Respect was a given…. trust was to be earned

You took the measure of a man by the values that he learned

 

Another time…another place …civility is no more

And marriage, I’m sad to say, is just a swinging door

Childish pranks have changed a bit…selling drugs is done with pride

Gangs roam the streets, shooting rivals who try to hide

Parents are no longer in charge…children can’t help but fail

Spanking is called abuse and now will land them in jail!

Mother’s who would have died for them, now covet gin or crack

And babies are left alone to wonder if they’re ever coming back

Every generation thinks that theirs was the best

I’m so happy to have lived then…I’ve truly been blest

 

Another time…another place…I’m afraid it is no more

Yet I’m eager to hang around to see what the future has in store

 

Copyright©2007 Beatrice Boyle

(All rights reserved)

 

Author's Note

Critique welcomed. Entered for contest.

Reviews

[copperconan]

You took some time on this write ,, you have done some serious thinking when your fingers dance that cobble stone street you call a keyboard .. kudos .. you know i rmember when they took the prayer out of school , and began to hide the bible ,, now the children have no concientous and it doesnt bother them to shoot and kill they have nothing to live for ,, they now believe when they die , that 's it ..
what a surprise waits them good job . another time another place

norm

[copperconan]

Every generation thinks that theirs was the best

I'm so happy to have lived then�I've truly been blest

I've read this a second time Beatrice , it's good one .. so true about thinking that our generation was the best .. thanks for sharing .
norm

[Anita B Jacques]

Well said and well written, the good old days and memories. We all had shores to do and didn't get paid for it. Something else we have in common "Nuns" my school was in France in a convent.

[Nancy Lee Shrader]

How wonderful and soooo true are you poetic words. I remember those good ole days. I could walk home from a friday night football game and the only thing I had to fear was getting caught out in the rain.

Congrats on your winning poem.

[Robert Francis Callaci]

Kudos to you on the contest- I enjoyed the first part immensely and was nodding my head at the second part- Oh how this world has changed as we slip slip on that slippery slope of oblivion- Great write...

my warmest
bob

[Sasavet]

This is my first contest, and I can't actually figure out how to say who won what because i'm a computer idiot, but i'll just tell you on here. you got third!! :O I loved reading this so much, congratulations :D
sorry you don't get your award, but if you know how to pick the winners feel free to message me and i'd be happy to award you :D
Thanks for sharing and congratulations !!

[Sasavet]

This is fantastic. It shows a really really good point and it got me thinking. Very thought provoking, this is what i was looking for..but you went even further. Bravo!!
Thanks for entering :D

[Fran Marie]

Parents were in charge as they swat us on the rear

Respect was a given�. trust was to be earned

You took the measure of a man by the values that he learned



Another time�another place �civility is no more


So true Beatrice~ It truly was another time/..place~ and what is lacking are those values
in these times of social ills~ one has to lock their doors these days,that's for sure

Well DonE~FranMarie

[Anita B Jacques]

Another good write Bea yes the good old days, you have painted a clear picture, sad to say, thank you for sharing.God Bless

Annie