Whatever happened to scabbed elbows?

Dirty knees?

Jumping into lakes and climbing trees?

The call of the mother from the front porch swing?

A half a dozen kids all playing the same thing?

What happened to Fireflies gathered together in jars?

A friend of a friend who was a friend of ours?

What happened to the youth that remained the same for so long?

Back when neighborhoods were safe, and nothing was wrong?

Kids now stay inside and only play games.

They squirm with disgust when we mention the names

of things kids used to do to occupy their time.

They laugh at the things the world left behind.

They play their video games for hours and days.

They get so short-tempered, and bent in their ways.

Hours go by, in a room, all alone.

Headphones with a microphone: the tools for their zone.

Pressing and pulling on a plastic control.

The ‘live group’ is relentless while reaching the goal.

That’s all that they do–no time for outside.

No time for a walk, or a dirt trail to ride.

No time for anything but a screen and a seat…

Technology took today’s kids right off of their feet.