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Table for dining
shoes for shining
phone would ring on the wall
desk for writing
days for kiting
children outside playing ball
boards for playing
and for sleighing
snowball fights on the lawn
bed for sleeping
dreams for keeping
outside at the break of dawn

whatever happened to family
time to sit and to share
whatever happened to stories
at bedtime or anywhere
whatever happened to playtime
be it summer, winter or fall
whatever happened to resting
when day was done after all

now it seems no one speaks
no one sleeps when the sun goes down
no one writes, and no one dreams
no one plays with others around
now it seems that yesterday
no one slept all the day
no one texted, no one cared less
no one pushed others away
now you would think that tomorrow
no one would do it again
no one would want this for their future
no one would want to be one in the end. 

Whatever happened to the American dream
Two children and a dog made a family
white picket fence bordered the lawn
Dad's went to work or stayed home on the farm
Bread mom would bake to go with dinner she made
Children would read and write for their grade.
Young boys would play with Tonka trucks in the dirt
Girls curled their hair, went to school in a skirt
When day was done they would all sit and pray
Thank God for their food and another great day.

Whatever happened to the American way
We were all proud to buy American made
Customer service was served with a smile
Children walked to school, if less than a mile
when they got home, their homework they'd do
Then after dinner, play a game or two
TV on Saturday - cartoons they would watch
Then Sunday the family would all go to church
Family and friends would come to eat and to play
Thank God for their food and another great day

Whatever happened to the American life
A man was a husband, a woman a wife
Men held the door and the chair to sit down
Laughter of children was a welcomed sound
Chores would be done each day together
And each night at 6, we'd all watch the weather
Family life was simpler way back then
There was a routine from dawn to the days end
When day was done, by our beds we would pray
Thank God for our life and another great day. 

 What happened to all the good people
The ones that on movies would make you cry
Reaching out to help a stranger
Never asking or knowing why

Newcomer that would come to town
Welcomed with open arms & hearts
Gathering baskets filled with goodies
Delivered with wishes for a nice start.

what happened to love of a neighbor
Shoveling the drive, clearing the walk
Taking time out of your day
To sit over tea and just talk

No one was made to feel
Like this was a place they did not belong
They were invited to the local worship
And told to bring their family along

What ever happened to a cup of sugar
Being an excuse to go next door
Now the name of our neighbor
We generally don't know anymore

Family picnics, friends and neighbors
Gathering around the table for a feast
Everyone bringing a smile and basket
To share some time, to say the least

What happened to all those people
Have they truly gone away?
I'd like to think they will come back
Not for a moment, but to stay. 

When I was a child I had a video game

3-D with full reality...

My friends played along, we had a great time

Imagination, dimensional-ity...

We may play house, take out our dolls

Or ride our bikes, over hills and dales

We could be at the beach, or even a mall

Wherever our minds wanted to tell the tales...

The woods were our playground

A playground a treat

We'd catch salamanders

Down at the creek..

So much to do, not enough time in a day

With a radio, a few friends, we would play.

When I was a child I had computer

Many gigs, full of RAM...

My books i'd read, would use up space

Equipped with a real life web cam...

Never needed a cord, or internet to use

Carried it with me wherever I'd go

It's hard drive is still with me to this day

With memories of all the things I would know...

The world was my playground

A TV was a treat

We'd fly a kite

Talking to folk we would meet.

So much to do, not enough years did we have

Without modern contraptions cluttering up our path.

When I was a child, the world offered a place

To grow and to learn, things I still embrace!

Do you remember the days back when

Your next door neighbor was your best friend

skipping rope or rocks off the shore

all it took was to walk next door.

Do you remember walking late at night

Your mom would hand you a  flashlight

no worries or noise of passing cars

watching for that falling star

whatever happened to the life we knew

friends and family gathered every week or two

crime was not always the front page news

whatever happened to the life we knew?

Do you remember your first high school dance

Your next door neighbor was your first romance

girls up dancing, guys standing on the wall

afraid of dancing, thinking they will may fall;

Do you remember your first real kiss

Your mom would tell you, you didn't want to miss

Sweet sixteen, a party you would not forget

Wonder if the boy you'd kiss you had already met

whatever happened to a family day

friends and family got together to play

game of football, maybe a game of tag

whatever happened to a family day?

Do you remember the days back when

Life was simple, you're with your best friend

swimming at the beach, playing in the sand

Do you remember the days back when? 

Back in my youth
I'd loose a tooth
Under my pillow a quarter would be
Then fourth of July
Under the night sky
We'd watch fireworks as a family
Birthdays would come
With so much fun
Our friends would all come to have cake
Christmas would be cool
Ten days out of school
And gingerbread men we would bake

Back in my youth
Telling the truth
Would lesson my sentence for sure
We'd never whine
For a nickle or dime
When our mom took us to the store
So many things
My memory brings
When I think back to when I was young
We would all learn
All get a turn
To sew, cook and bake just for fun.

Back in my youth
When I'd loose a tooth
Under my pillow a quarter I'd find
Youth of today
Forget how to play
By using fun and dreams in their mind
Now as I'm looking back
I'm very happy for that
My childhood was spent mostly outdoors
Rainy days we'd watch TV
Or play Monopoly
After we had finished our chores.

Twenty-five cents used to buy

two clam cakes or a large fry

four pinball games

or two games on the lane

So many things you could do

If you had a quarter or two

When you had a dollar to spend

A burger, fry and coke with a friend

Or go to a movie and sit for a while

Rent a bike and ride the beach in style

So much more a dollar was for

Not just the trinkets at the dollar store.

We used to work and bring home our pay

Have enough money for more than a day

Had enough to go out, and still pay the rent

Enjoy life before our pay was all spent

So much more you could do with your time

I sure miss the trips to the old five and dime.

Motown Sound, Brady Bunch
A quarter to buy a school lunch
Hula hoops, jumping ropes
Never did we have time to mope

School time to spend time with friends
No cell phone did we have back then
Ride your bike to see each other
Make sure you listen to your mother

Truly meant it when said curfew at nine
Be in or get grounded for twice the time
Before bed, game time with family we'd spend
Weekends we would visit with friends

Fishing or swimming, picnic in the park
Making sure we were always in before dark
Life in the seventies was laughter and fun
Grew up in a town where you knew everyone

Life may have been simple, though chores we would do
without complaining before and after school
Dinner we'd spend together and talk
Friday was Shakey's pizza and pop

If I could pick any decade to do it again
I"d not change a thing of my life way back then.

I recall a place back home

As a teen I liked to roam

through a field all covered then

With daisies there seemed to be no end...

Could run through the field and pick a few

count off the petals he loves me true

Then after I'd figure out my true love

Sit under the apple tree, blue skies above

A simple life back when I was a teen

Folk seemed happy, nothing in between

There was a war, we heard updates on the news

Lots of music from which to choose

I'd listen to the sounds of the Supremes

Pointer sisters and Jimmy Dean

Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones

With such great music hard to be alone

Would play my radio outside for all to hear

Invite my friends, those far and near

We'd dance outside until the stars came out

Life was so simple and love was all about

Love was free, mom said more than it should

We'd all take a chance if we only could

To be like those hippies we'd see on TV

Daisies in their hair, singing of being free

Life was simple for those of us back then

Time to spend with family and our friends

Music was the language we all come to know

Looking back now where did the time go

Still pull out the old vinyl, listen now and again

Listen to the words that they all sang back then

Songs of war and love, and hard times to cease

Songs that brought us joy and hope and peace.

I wonder what happened to those peaceful times

Songs of life, simple nursery rhymes

So many in the world who truly cared

lived a simple life with Daisies in their hair

Hopscotch, dodge ball

Tic Tac Toe

Cats cradle and 

Mother May I you know

Games of our youth

Some no longer played

Sometimes I wish

Some things had stayed

Double dutch, jump rope

And Simon says

Duck Duck Goose 

Tap you on the head

What happened to things

Like a game of jax

Pick up stick, chalk

Whiffle ball and bat?

Farmer in the Dell

Another comes to mind

Yo-yo's and balls

Of many different kinds

Games of our child hood

Never without a thing to do

London Bridge is Falling down

Skip skip skip to my Lou.

When dinner was cooked at the table we sat
Ate what was on your plate and that was that
Get up and clear the dishes and then
Go out to play with your nearby friends
parents didn't call you in with a cell
You'd hear your name as they would yell
curfew was when you'd see the lightning bugs
Then inside you'd go for bedtime hugs
If you got all dirty it was no big scene
Jump in the shower till you were nice and clean
So many things we survived when we were young
Without cell phones we knew how to have lots of fun.

We had books to read and games to play
So many ways to spend our day
Play outside till the moon came out
So many things we could write about
Family outings we'd go swim and fish
At night upon a star we would wish
Childhood dreams were encouraged you see
That you could grow up to be all you wanted to be
A doctor, a lawyer, a teacher and more
Told how big the world is when you'd walk out the door.

Parents would say if you do that then this
Would happen and you can be sure that it did
There were expectations to reach for the stars
Not accept the short road but to go very far
To follow your dreams, don't settle for less
Or one day you'd find your life in a mess
We may not have had all the "conveniences" then
But life sure made sense in the days back when
Back when your neighbors watched you as well
And when you'd done wrong, your parents they'd tell
Next time dinner is cooked, and the table is set
Remember the days together before the internet.

here was a time, back in my prime
we would walk down the road hand in hand
A smile on your face, in our private place
You would show me that I was your man....

what happened to the days of old
Are they truly stories that just now are told?

Prime-time lovers, Hallmark friends
Is this the beginning or is this the end
Seems that life surely has slowed down
What happened to the days, the nights we found
Tangled up together, we would twist and shout
Not knowing what life was truly all about.
Living in the moment, not a worry or a care
What happened to the days, were they really there?

There was a time, back in my prime
We would sit on the sand watching waves
A smile on my face, in our private place
You would know it's your love I do crave...

What happened to the days back then
Are they truly gone, not to be seen again?

Teenage lovers, High school friends
Was it the beginning or was it the end
Seems that life surely did a turn around
What happened to the love we thought we'd found
Tangled up together, a family we did start
Not knowing that one day we would be apart
Living in the moment, not thinking of the days
What happened to the love, why did it go away?

written 2015 (got a message from a friend, asking me how is it that two people can be so in love, get married in their teens, and then years later, have it be like they never knew each other... I truly did not know how to respond to the message, but out of it came a poem) thought would share it again, many blessings!