The Shopkeeper

Poem about an old shopkeeper on his last day before retirement.

He walked into his shop
It was his very last day
Time was running out
He could no longer stay.

Hearing each tick
And every gentle tock
He smiled, oh so fondly
At the grandfather clock.

Gold-toned and silver
Lined precisely in place
All of the watches
Displayed in a case.

Things had changed
In the past fifty years
The days of technology
Sadly, were here.

Out with the old
And in with the new
He couldn't compete
Retirement was due.

His granddaughter told him
Everyone lived here and now
Didn't look back or beyond
He didn't understand how.

People used phones
Instead of "Clockworks"
Listened to weird music
Did something called twerk.

His pocket watch said
It was time to leave
The day passed by quickly
So hard to believe.

The gears and mechanics
And insides of his mind
Became irreparable
As he left all behind.

Author's Note

Please give an overall review on this poem. Thank you!

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Things change and people become not needed.
"His pocket watch said
It was time to leave
The day passed by quickly
So hard to believe."
I enjoyed the tale in the poetry. A new world forget the skills of a old world. Thank you Melissa for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, Coyote Poetry. I am glad that you enjoyed this. Progress can be good but more often than not, the old ways were just as good or even better because PEOPLE were involved.

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree and you are welcome.

[Celie Rose]

I remember those days. As I read, I got a glimpse in my mind of my father's pocket watch. Of course, technology will continue growing. Fifty years from now cellphones and other ways of communicating today may be obsolete. Good job

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, Celie Rose! Oh yes, we certainly don't know what the future holds. No telling what my grandchildren or great-grandchildren will be communicating with .. they will certainly be leaving me in the dust! Haha! Glad you enjoyed this.

[Autumn Lyric]

change can effect each and every life in so many different ways...every generation of older ones had difficult times, but they were simpler, and the shopkeeper is having to face reality of those days gone by but not forgotten. love the humor (twerk) ! Of course, it is the younger generations that will keep such ones up to speed, no matter how strange the surroundings. Keep in mind, though, that he will always have a story to tell, "timeless" anecdotes - that old pocket watch has some stories to tell..Nicely done.

[MelissaAndres]

LaShaye, yes, it is hard to imagine that the younger generation doesn't know life without microwaves or computers or any number of other technological advancements. I fit into that "oldie" category and I am absolutely sure that soon, my young grandchildren will be showing me how to do things. Glad you liked the "twerk" line. I had to get that in there somehow! haha!

[wordman]

a great story,interesting another place,another time

[MelissaAndres]

Very true, wordman! How things change!

[wordman]

for the best i hope,but i wonder!

[MelissaAndres]

Sometimes good, sometimes bad ... guess it depends on what it is and what our perspective is as well.

[wordman]

yeap! you are right

[annalysiar]

Very gentle and very nicely put I like it

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, annalysiar! I am glad you liked it!

[Tom]

The end of an era indeed but time waits for no man ( nor his shop ) so best to close up and enjoy retirement!

Penned with respectful feeling and heartfelt sentiment, kudos indeed !

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, Tom! I appreciate your kind words!

[alifeacoustic]

Beautifully worded tale of yesterdays catching up and leaving us behind. I still prefer a watch, but I'm old :)

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, alifeacoustic. I actually wore a watch up until about a year ago .. it broke and I just went to looking at wall clocks or my cell phone. (And, I fit into the old category!)

[Samuel Dickens]

I think you know how true this rings for me. So many of the old skills are disappearing because of "progress." In ways, we're better off but in others, we're not. You could hear the old watches and clocks tick, for they had hearts.

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you for reading and commenting, Sam. I just wanted you to read it because of your father.