Toys In The Attic

 

This is where the sidewalk ends

Our little red ball has gone over the edge

 

Children keep their innocence in a bag

Broken and pieced together with glue and wire

Hoping to get a few more years out of it

Before the batteries die, and

The magic wears off

 

We can never go back home

It’s never quit as warm

The cold chill of reality slowly

Creeps in like a draft in your old

Childhood bedroom

 

Playtime, we could be anything, everything

We had the world on a string, but

Who held the scissors?

Now the toys are in the attic

Our innocence in the ground

Glimmer of hope replaced

With chains and padlocks

 

I see the laughter of these children

And I wonder

When does that feeling leave us?

Who decides?

The shackles of youth?

But, that was the last time we were truly alive

Reviews

[Rene Velez]

Yes, innocence in time, a fleeting memory of better times, the reality of growing. Great work.

[Kenneth The Poet]

Fearless piece, even has an Aerosmith vibe throughout it. An excellent piece about the death of youthful enthusiasm. Nice work, brother.

[Emily Rae]

you did a great job of illuminating the exit of innocence-- one that is swift yet felt much later

[☮Alpenglow]

Superb write. I would find it dubious that a poem such as yours would not evoke a reminiscent quality within all of its readers when it is transpired from such graceful sentences... I found myself contemplating my own life- rites of passages, losses, gains. There is palpable beauty and raw experience within your words.

Regardless, I look forward to reading more of your work.

[Tyler Dean Allen]

Wow, this really evoked some emotion in me. Memories of a time when the world didn't seem so cold... and how fragile those times, as well as the memories themselves, truly are. Your symbolism here is amazing. I really felt like I could relate to this.

Children keep their innocence in a bag
Broken and pieced together with glue and wire
Hoping to get a few more years out of it
Before the batteries die, and
The magic wears off

This truly affected me, and made me think about my own life. Nostalgia hurts, and so does the idea that this coldness is inevitable. This poem really brought out those feelings for me. Great job on this piece, I loved it.