Come What May

Poem about the "progress" of life.

Upon the dirty path
Traveling to and fro
Barefoot or boots
Onward they would go.

The horses and the buggies
And then the Model-T
The tiny town was growing
As I sat upon his knee.

Grandpa told us stories
'Bout rolling fields of green
Now only big, tall buildings
And winding roads were seen.

They say to call it progress
But I am not so sure
Cars pack super highways
There really is no cure.

Gimme days with Grandpa
Eating peach ice cream
Laughing and a talking
Dreamin' future dreams.

So, what will ticking time hold
For my own grandkids one day?
Beyond long, winding roads
Can they handle come what may?

Author's Note

Please give an overall review of this poem. **Maybe us older timers can appreciate it. Thank you!

Reviews

[alifeacoustic]

Yep, give me those days back when you went to a butcher for meat and a grocers for groceries, instead of an airport hangar for everything and people actually knew you by name and had time to stop and chat.
When you visited someone you liked instead of clicked a button. Basically, when we weren't living in a concrete jungle.
Nicely reminisced Melissa. Could almost hear the sighs in the lines :)

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, alifeacoustic. I remember the days when a new neighbor would move in and my Mom would bake a cake or cookies or something and we would all walk over and get to know them a little. No one does that anymore!

[Kamlesh]

Hi Mell..I could picture same for my village through your eye, though I live in India, my friend. It has a certain rythem. very well described. Be Blessed. Warm regards!

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you for reading and commenting, Kamlesh! I am glad you enjoyed!

[Autumn Lyric]

Loved spending quality time with my grandfather, too and this brought back memories dear to me. He was wise and full of life and he just loved (black walnut) ice cream. I especially enjoyed the family outings with him back home in Texas, where I grew up! :) Hey! remember the rotary phone? try dialing for a person on that thing in today's age...yikes, telling off on myself...

[MelissaAndres]

Haha! Yes, LaShaye! I remember the rotary phones. I still remember when my grandparents had a party line. My Grandma would tell us when we shouldn't answer the phone but we would anyway and listen in on someone else's conversation! She would get on to us for that -- but then laugh when she asked what we were hearing! :)

[Autumn Lyric]

LOL The best memories...

[MelissaAndres]

Yup! Those party lines held the best gossip! I was little and still figured that out! Haha!

[Connie]

this is a nice poem, liked it

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, Connie!

[Samuel Dickens]

Indeed, this old-timer does. While I treasure those simpler days, I realize that time always brings change and so try to accept it. Without modern medicine, they'd have planted me over twenty years ago, so progress isn't all bad. Still, I remember the days before nose rings, electronic gadgets and 24 hour "news", and wax sentimental.

[MelissaAndres]

Oh yes, advanced in medicine are wonderful and I'm glad you're still kickin'! Never had a nose ring (I was a wimp when I got my ears pierced in the fourth grade!), electronic gadgets are good, for the most part. One of my pet peeves is calling a company and having to press one for this, press two for that .... Can't I just talk to a human being!?

[Viv Wade]

This poem sums up how I feel about progress - not always a good thing, and often it seems to be a case of change for the sake of it. We end up losing touch with the good things that we had in simpler times. Nice poem, makes you think!

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, Silent! At my age, I feel kind of "in the middle" of technology and progress. Some things I don't want to change and other things, I want to learn and move forward. I guess it just depends on the subject or gadget and if I feel smart enough to conquer come what may!

[Viv Wade]

Yes, I think we are in the middle, as we are wise enough to appreciate the usefulness of new inventions, but we are also old enough to remember the beauty of simplicity. I like gadgets, as they generally make life easier, but what I hate about progress is the destroying of beautiful old buildings with history and character, and replacing them with generic box-type houses. That's happening a lot where I live, and it bugs the hell out of me!

[MelissaAndres]

I am right there with you! I remember when I was very young, my grandparents lived on a big farm. They called it "progress" but city folk pretty much ran them off their property, tore down the house and barn and built a big highway over the place they lived for years and years and years. I barely remember the place but I can remember the terrible sadness in my Grandpa's eyes. To me, THAT is not progress at all.