Back Then
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Brooke Stokes, Grade 7
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Poetry
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2007
Back Then.
Mum said
That back then
You could buy an ice cream for 20 cents.
You could walk down the street and play outside
Without the fear of being kidnapped
You could wear daggy clothes
But no one would care
You could have a bad hair day
And everyone would think it was cool.
Mum said
That back then
You could light firecrackers in your backyard
You could do more fun things
Because no one was paranoid about lawsuits
You could spend Sunday with your family
Because shops weren’t open
There was no fast food
Just fish and chips after swimming training.
Mum said
That back then
You drank water from the garden hose
You ate lots of sugar but never got fat
Because you were always outside playing
You ate worms and made up games with sticks
But everyone was safe
You got BB guns for your birthday
And everyone was fine with it.
Mum said
That back then
Terrorism was almost mythical
You never had a computer or Nintendo
Because there was no computer geeks to invent them
You didn’t get mum to fight your battles for you
Because she sided with the law
You had to work hard in school
Because there was such thing as discipline.
I say
That I wish I were back then
Happy and free.