Whatever Happened To Back In The Day

A poem reflecting the change in time

We came a long way from back in the day
When people had fun and knew how to play
Kids hung in the streets til late at night
Or some came in on the flick of street lights
Water gun fights and sprinkler parades
Chillin on the block looking for shade
Hot days but we kicked it hard
Never scared to go out past our yard
Houses cooling with windows and fans
We look forward to the next game of sidewalk cans
Winter came there was snow and ice
It didn’t stop us we never thought twice
We went out and we played even then
Grabbing our sleds and making snowmen
But when I talk about it
It seems way back when

Now kids in the house
Starring at the bars
Instead of dreaming of the block they rather be on mars
The streets bring the kids pure misery
They rather watch cartoons or play the Wii
Little girls are grown up thinking they’re the bomb
Never once thinking about the peeping toms
Waiting for his chance to give her mama blues
Who didn’t pay attention now its on the news
Little boys in trouble
Got themselves a gun
Killed another mothers child on a junior gansta run
Horny Harry stalking the school yard from his car
At some innocent boy he wanna make his star
A group of kids headed to the corner store
Broke up from gun shots but one life’s no more

It seem as if today is filled with pain
And things in life won’t be the same
Life has turned happiness to clouds of grief
The only way to survive is a spiritual belief
We think like heathens in a heated war
But the battle goes on without a score
Education is lost and minds are weak
Meaning welfare has slaves, so to speak
If today is like tomorrow then I’ll take yesterday
Yesterday could have been a lesson for today
Or look at our leaders trying to pave a way
For us to have a good life like back in the day

Reviews

[Constance-Outspoken]

If only "back in the day" seemed possible to achieve again. I'm afraid its long long gone. I hope I'm wrong.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful poem, with a message that is true. I love these lines:
Education is lost and minds are weak
Meaning welfare has slaves, so to speak

I love those lines because I grew up with a father who was a welfare slave, and I've thought the same thing of our system before.

Well done, D. I love it!

[Glenn Davis]

Very good piece. A lot of memories here and a message. But It isn't so much that things have gone way down hill. Things are essentially the same, there is only more light shed on the negative these days. All the problems we have now were around back then, we were just kids and didn't take notice. There are still Those who see the world as we did in our youth. Just as in our youth there were those who acted out the same degradations we have now. i think it has surely grown in the years since then but so has the population and the media available that glorifies it. I love your writing and the messages given within it. Keep up the good fight! Much love and respect.