Childhood

Why would you want to grow up?

it's quite confusing to me,

children just want to be adults,

to feel what it's like to be free.

 

Childhood is the time of your life,

you have no expectations,

you almost can do anything, 

with only simple limitations. 

 

To go back would be amazing,

how great that would that be?

because I'm almost grown up now,

it doesn't feel that great to be free.

 

I still want my parents protection,

but all they do is moan,

you're almost all grown up now,

you have to do things on your own.

 

Kids, treasure your childhood,

growing up is not that fun,

I miss my simple childhood,

but my life's barely begun.

 

 

 

Author's Note

Opinions welcome,
short and simple!
should I change the name to 'Growing up' or leave it as 'Childhood'
thankyou!

Reviews

[lee von cleef]

Leave it... Treasure now today, then send the bare love of a heart to a safe spot , where none can scald scold scorn scare seep into sallow thoughts of mourning....

[Moniba]

I like the title 'childhood'. And I feel exactly the same... Growing up is so over-rated. But it does have its perks.

[oh,hey.]

true true, thankyou

[Jayden Ireton]

The words just roll of my tongue. Great piece. It makes me think of my childhood and I definitely would go back. All this 'freedom" is not fun.

[.]

I like the name and the subject , really enjoyed this !

[James Hanna-Magill]

Dear oh hey

My opportunity to return the favour of your kind reviews.

As I say I can do all sorts of reviews; structured; detailed; analytical; but always with a reader's emotional reaction, mine.

I read this once and it floored me.

Just picked it off your list.

All I can offer you is a huge emotional reaction.

What any writer most wants from a reader.

The whole issue of childhood and growing up has always been a source of doubt, instability for me. I'm not sure what it was.

But I always recognise that it had good bits, but still only see the bad.

Your first stanza:

'Why would you want to grow up?
it's quite confusing to me,
children just want to be adults,
to feel what it's like to be free.'

Spot on!

When I was a child, I wanted to be older.

Now that I am older I want to be a child.

It's a bit like hair.

If your is curly you want it straight.

If it's straight you want it to be curly.

Question you ask? Is the grass always greener on the other side?

Yes if your are on one side it is the other and if it is the other it is the one.

You will have noticed I often review long. If it is so it is often because I am highly affected.

There are others of my friends here who know I am bipolar and see in my reviews the work of a bipolar hypomanic obsessive.

So be it. I can only be me.

I remember as a green Irish student at a Bible College in Paris at the age of 19, I said to an older friend, 'I wish I were not so young, shy and could be older and wiser.'

He said to me, 'I assure you James, life only gets harder as you get older.'

I have never forgotten those words.

Forgive me if I go off into my own riff here, but as others say of me, I often do and if a writer does it is like here you trigger me into thought and emotion, I'll hit it hard.

In the end it is what it is.

The first stanza immediately reminds me of a favourite line from a favourite book, Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, where the young heroine in her early twenties talks to her soon to be husband, Max de Winter (twenty years older) and says 'I wish I was a woman of about thirty-six dressed in black satin with a string of pearls'.

His answer was clear 'You would not be in this car with me if you were.'

There is much to be said for youth. They often say that as writers we should seek to return to childhood and write through the innocent eyes of a child.

Second stanza: Hits me straight in the face:

'Childhood is the time of your life,
limits but no expectations,
you can do stupid things and have fun,
at all the family celebrations.'

This is the stuff of Queen's last song 'These are the days of our lives' where Freddy Mercury does his swansong to the world before dying of aids. He looks so ill and it took hours to do the video.

Here is a youtube link. Please watch

I defy you not to cry. I always do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDUmT3wm-0A

And here are the lyrics:

"These Are The Days Of Our Lives"


Sometimes I get to feelin'
I was back in the old days - long ago
When we were kids, when we were young
Things seemed so perfect - you know?
The days were endless, we were crazy - we were young
The sun was always shinin' - we just lived for fun
Sometimes it seems like lately - I just don't know
The rest of my life's been - just a show.
Those were the days of our lives
The bad things in life were so few
Those days are all gone now but one thing is true -
When I look and I find I still love you.
You can't turn back the clock, you can't turn back the tide
Ain't that a shame?
I'd like to go back one time on a roller coaster ride
When life was just a game
No use sitting and thinkin' on what you did
When you can lay back and enjoy it through your kids
Sometimes it seems like lately I just don't know
Better sit back and go - with the flow
Cos these are the days of our lives
They've flown in the swiftness of time
These days are all gone now but some things remain
When I look and I find - no change
Those were the days of our lives yeah
The bad things in life were so few
Those days are all gone now but one thing's still true
When I look and I find, I still love you,
I still love you.

Your third stanza follows the same mournful theme.

And in your last stanza, is the conclusion and advice which we as adults can only pass onto the next generation:

'Kids treasure your childhood,
growing up is not that fun,
I miss my simple childhood,
but my life has barely begun.'

I apologise for the huge emotional reaction. But if it is so, it is because you have hit a vulnerable part of my existence.

And if in my reviews I can go off on one, as I may have done here, it is not the mark of the bipolar hypomanic, it is that it has been initiated by a piece of accomplished and meaningful writing such as yours.

Bravo

Extraordinarily accomplished piece of writing with significance to anyone who should read it.



James Hanna-Magill

[oh,hey.]

im glad it had such an affect on you... to have such an affect on just one person who reads your writing is all you want. Thank you for your very detailed review!

[James Hanna-Magill]

Read up. I had only half written it. It is now complete.

Let me know

James

[oh,hey.]

the amount of feeling put into your review has baffled me, thankyou for taking the time to read it and Im about to listen to the song now!

[James Hanna-Magill]

I am a passionate person. Please listen to the song. It is the stuff of your poem, James

[Yasmin]

I couldn't agree more...
I personally cherish my childhood I will always do specially when my parents haven't deprived me of anything (Forever grateful)

"To go back would be amazing,
how great that would that be,
cause now I'm almost grown up,
it doesn't feel that great to be free."
I can relate to that but you know life goes on and we had our chance

Well done can't wait to read more

[oh,hey.]

Thanks for reviewing and the nice comments!

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

simple and articulated piece, love the words expressed here. brilliant promising work.

[oh,hey.]

thankyou!

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Welcome :)

[Joseph M. Shea]

The title is prefect. Sorry but the piece is childish at best. I don't know how old you are, but you should try something more bore minded. Take care, Joe

[Amy Azra Dean]

Yes cherish your childhood, but i do think your as old as you feel/act. I hope never to grow up entirely :) lovely poem, thankyou,

[Marie]

Childhood, if you think about it, is not all that great. Make the most of the age you are.

I think "Childhood" works best as a title for the poem.