Repast - by Shari-Lyn McArthur

Times ain’t like they used to be.

Ever listen to Country?
Times have never been like they used to be.

Seriously!
Back in the day, the local palais
a kid could really stomp.
There were no fences
to our frontiers;
no collars
to fetter our breathmaking fears.
Nothing like this parent-supervised-play-date crap of today.
Be home for dinner, was all my mother had to say.
(And for dessert, she served forgiveness, rare.)

You stomp
still.
You take
a mile
and claim it
a metric inch.

(Conversion formula memorised. Please do not show all your work.)
Well, at least I never went hitchhiking.

Only because your boyfriend
was a drummer
in a punk rock band,
and drove a bedroom
in a custom van.

What’s for dessert?

Comments

[Joe Lofgren]

Beautifully nostalgic. Great write, Shari. With such an awesome video accompaniment!

[Jill Winkowski]

nice shari.
Really good read. LIke the pace and the subject matter.

We have the same stories over here. AND one mother would be looking out her kitchen window and see one child acting up and call that kid's mom immediately, Do you know what your son is doing.... they were freer times but more connected too, ironically.

[Brian Edwards]

I remember this one Shari. Really fine. I love how this works as either conversation or internal dialogue, both readings very rewarding.

B.

[David Alcock]

Love this. But I guessed you'd have guessed that anyway. But just saying so, too.

[Shari-Lyn McArthur]

This poem also appears in print here:

Did I Tell You? 131 poems for Children in Need was published in November 2010 to raise money for The BBC Children in Need Appeal. The anthology is on sale at www.wordaid.org.uk, the various launch events and via Amazon, price £10 (plus £2 p&p) or 3 copies for £25 (plus £2 p&p);

A minimum of £4 from the sale of this book will benefit The BBC Children in Need Appeal, a company limited by guarantee (charity number 802052 in England & Wales and SC039557 in Scotland).

[David Alcock]

Still makes me smile, this one. Love it. :)

[Rosemary Badcoe]

Enjoyed this very much, and it looks great on the front page!