Comment from Karen Cherry

Excellent

Sounds like you had a good time. I worry about kids now too. They have no freedom. They cannot explore, wander, or chase Indians. There is no free time for them. They are expected to be little adults. Heart attacks at 30. Good strong poem.
Karen

 Comment Written 23-Sep-2023

Comment from CrystieCookie999

Excellent

I liked reading this and learning what childhood in the Australian suburbs might have been like. Some boys had go-carts in our neighborhood in the 1970s. These lines:
made from spare parts
and bits of off-cut wood ~
definitely reminded me of what some of them looked lke.
Thank you for sharing a glimpse backward in time.

 Comment Written 21-Sep-2023

Comment from TPAC

Excellent

I fear for kids, today, too. In my opinion, too relaxed under this authoritative system, finding them more robotic than living thinking beings. Then, what do I know. Just a baby, myself in this existence. This is my given opinion, prevailing this read.

 Comment Written 21-Sep-2023

Comment from harmony13

Excellent

The author had many memories of childhood fun. I feel the same way
about some of the those beautiful memories. As the author stated at
the end of the poem "I fear for kids today". I do too! Thank you for
the author's notes. The artwork is awesome! Great Poem!

 Comment Written 19-Sep-2023

Comment from Mia Twysted

Excellent

I agree; I fear for kids today. They have things so different and hardly ever go outside. What will happen when their tech stops working and they do not know how to interact with the world?

 Comment Written 19-Sep-2023

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reply by the author on 19-Sep-2023

Thanks for your review. I agree with all your comments... being so reliant on tech to the detriment of inter-personal skills is a recipe for disaster. I also fear for kids safety - so many shootings, sexploitation, and mental health issues.

Comment from Dolly'sPoems

Excellent

This sounds like a lot of family fun and I enjoyed this lighthearted post for the contest, fun in the sun, Australian style here, much enjoyed, love Dolly x x x

 Comment Written 19-Sep-2023

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reply by the author on 19-Sep-2023

Thanks Dolly. My childhood wasn't all fun and games but when it was good it was wonderful.

Comment from Douglas Goff

Excellent

Wow! Sounds like you had such a great and wonderful childhood.

Is a Billy a go-kart than from your notes?

The ending did take a dark dramatic turn.

Well done.
D

 Comment Written 19-Sep-2023

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reply by the author on 19-Sep-2023

As the contest was about the joy of childhood I left out the bad bits.
Yes, a billy cart is like an unsophisticated go-kart without an engine.
Childhood today seems to be spent indoors, reliant on tech, often solo parent, mental health issues, and in fear of being shot in schools. Give me the 'olden days' anytime.

reply by Douglas Goff on 19-Sep-2023

Amen!

Comment from zanya

Exceptional

This poem is a joy to read - portraying an idyllic childhood when kids had much more freedom to roam-what a contrast to the times we live in now and how childhood evolves now- what a lovely visual -is it the work of the poet ?

 Comment Written 19-Sep-2023

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reply by the author on 19-Sep-2023

Thank you so much for this precious review.
My childhood has so many good memories. Of course, bad stuff happened too, but the contest was about the joy of childhood.
I wonder how many of our young members will write about their joyful childhoods. Possibly not many have memories of good times... or their good times might seem very strange to us oldies.

Comment from JSD

Excellent

A lovely nostalgic piece. Well done. Assured rhyme and rhythm add to the entertaining tone; the poem skips along like a child at play. Good luck in the competition.

 Comment Written 19-Sep-2023

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reply by the author on 19-Sep-2023

Thank you for your reassuring comments.