Little Rascal

My childhood living in the big city.

The city once had allure; sparkle

It was her prohibitions to a child

With wider than city-block eyes

And imaginations

 

I knew the cold steel tracks intimate

Pumping day to day industrious veins

Every inch, every mile upon mile

The trains raced by like rocket ships

I still feel their wind on my face

A boy hidden in crevices on bridges

Always daring and dangerous

 

And after the rains

The flooding runoff concrete rivers

I waded in to the sediment islands

Filled with washed away treasures

Where I used to play

Shopping carts half sunken; old tires and abandon clunkers

 

I would be gone for hours

Lost over steel mill fences

Into their amuses of fabrication jungles

Box cars and framed tractor trailers

Never could figure out

How I would escape the funnel trap

Of the liquid containers

 

Sometimes on weekends

I built forts among the fruit trees

In the undeveloped parts

Of the municipal city cemetery

With my two sisters

I had apples, Dawn wild grapes and

Julie the bramble estates

 

It was mid-seventies

In Milwaukee

There weren’t second thoughts

To a see nomad child roaming freely

 

But, all and I were home for five o’ clock

Sitting with our family

Eating dinner

(With never a thought to cell phones, internet or video games)

Reviews

[KT-B]

loved these memories, how fun it sounds and what adventures you had! Me and my sister used to sit in someone's old car parked in "the manse" and have a wonderful time imagining we were going here, there and everywhere, we'd take a picnic, I don't know if the owners ever knew how often we played in it :)

[Michael G. Smith]

As children our littld worlds were our playground but now we are slaves to responsibility so we can offer the same oppurtunity to our children.

[KT-B]

I know responsibility sucks, right! hahaha it's like on xmas eve my nephew always comes up from London to have a drunken night with my brother, i'm always invited but I can never go as I need to be home xmas eve especially, mike (nephew) always says "to hell with your responsibilities"... now he has a wee responsibility himself so we'll see how he gets on this xmas eve! lol

[Michael G. Smith]

Exacty, haha

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

Childhood days were whole lot better. :)

[Michael G. Smith]

It always seem so most times when we back. The trick is to hold on to that inner child as I have. Ask my wife, Merry Christmas!!!

[Neon]

You were lost into yer childhood when ya were transformin' yer inner essence into the frame of words. I liked the piece even i watched few the moments of your childhood though this piece. Very great work. Yer Artistry's cool and you wrote it from the depth of yer heart. It's a bit emotional piece too because childhood that never comes back again into the life always makes everyone emotional whenever we remind the moments of past. Well done. Beautifully penned.

[Michael G. Smith]

Thanks Neon.

[Josie E. Cook M. A.]

I love this! I reminds me of a piece I wrote about childhood play. Nicely done with lots of good details!

[Michael G. Smith]

Thanks, do you have that on posted?

[Josie E. Cook M. A.]

Not yet, I exactly have at least two --but not posted.

[Tiffany Boles]

Everything seems to revolve around technology now. I have so much fun just enjoying the simple things in life. Walking and talking, while enjoying the scene of nature. It's an escape from a world where everything is hidden. It breathes a different air to the blank page. I love the imagery and "home" feel to this writing. I enjoyed this piece very much, thanks for sharing.

[Michael G. Smith]

Thanks for stopping by. I feel torn between two worlds, the digital and non. I have to say even though i enjoy the outdoors i am becoming a nerd techy .

[Tiffany Boles]

Yea, well I actually grew up on technology..so I'm already a nerd I guess. But, just doing something different like walking outside seems spiritually connected more so than the continuous re-run.

[Michael G. Smith]

I totally agree. I just bought a new lounge chair. I went out and just laid in it watching the squirrels amazingly jump from one thin branch to another soaking up the new Florida winters air.

[Tiffany Boles]

I bet it was relaxing, despite the chilly air lol

[rutherford]

Having grown up in a rust belt town, this imagery has a great beauty and appeal. Strong descriptions and sense of being a child with more wonder than fear of this urban landscape. Many great lines here. Among my favorites, "The trains raced by like rocket ships/I still feel their wind on my face" My perspective only, but I wonder if you even need the last parenthetical? Poem has a strong end with Eating Dinner and I think the reference to digital devices may do without saying. Just my minor thought on an outstanding poem. High marks.

[Michael G. Smith]

Thanks for your insights. I will consider them when i find enough time to spend more time here.
read moreThanks for your insights. I will consider them when i find enough time to spend more time here.

[Avinash]

Beautiful, mesmerizing beauty coming through words. It's painful to revisit the pure times of innocence but its worth it.

[Michael G. Smith]

I never find it painful. I wish I could go back for a day.

[Rita L. Sev]

Wonderful trip down memory lane, Mike. I too recall a city-block childhood of roaming all day, and home for dinner...

I fell like that last line in parentheses is superfluous. Ending with "Sitting with our family, eating dinner" would have a strong impact. Just a thought - I do love this piece as it is.

[Pryde Foltz]

Longing for times past. A lovely reminiscent write, Mike.

[Marie]

It sounds as if you had a wonderful childhood. I suppose most of us remember wonderful childhoods without the Internet or cell phones. THe past didn't need such thngs, eventhough the present can't do without them.

[Michael G. Smith]

Good observation Marie.