My Elementary School Playground
Freestyle or even worse, but the poetry is in the imagery.21 total reviews
Comment from Seraphim Delphinium
Amazing composition, Mike! Loved reading every word of it. Lots of truth in your observations. I hope all is well with you in your world. Happy Holidays! Seraph ~
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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Amazing composition, Mike! Loved reading every word of it. Lots of truth in your observations. I hope all is well with you in your world. Happy Holidays! Seraph ~
Comment Written 09-Dec-2018
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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Sorry it took me so long to respond to this review. My we find a little holiday in each day. I thank you so much for this review. -Mike
Comment from Hayley Zemontas
Wow thanks for sharing such intricate and detailed descriptions of a place that clearly holds coveted childhood memories and feelings of safety and happiness. There is something so free and innocent about being a child- you have no inhibitions or cares about what is appropriate or inappropriate and this relaxed vibe came through in your account of these memories. Lovely piece of free verse x
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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Wow thanks for sharing such intricate and detailed descriptions of a place that clearly holds coveted childhood memories and feelings of safety and happiness. There is something so free and innocent about being a child- you have no inhibitions or cares about what is appropriate or inappropriate and this relaxed vibe came through in your account of these memories. Lovely piece of free verse x
Comment Written 18-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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I thank you so much for reviewing this, and when I was a child it was on the play ground were I learned and retained some of life's best lessons. My we all maintain that childhood spirit throughout our lives.
Comment from LIJ Red
Informative, and interesting to compare. My first five grades, the wooden schoolhouse had a couple of acres of cleared land between it and the forest.
The firewood detail hit the woods during the first period after lunch, boys fifth grade and up. Kids played red rover, jacks, and dodgeball, London bridge, and umpty kinds of skiprope and hopscotch. Older boys brought their rifles to hike home through the woods, hunting, instead of riding the bus(contracted, property of the driver. Wise off and get thrown off.) The schools were consolidated then, about 1955, making for long bus rides. The new school had inside plumbing, and a manual merry go round and swing set...excellent poem...
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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Informative, and interesting to compare. My first five grades, the wooden schoolhouse had a couple of acres of cleared land between it and the forest.
The firewood detail hit the woods during the first period after lunch, boys fifth grade and up. Kids played red rover, jacks, and dodgeball, London bridge, and umpty kinds of skiprope and hopscotch. Older boys brought their rifles to hike home through the woods, hunting, instead of riding the bus(contracted, property of the driver. Wise off and get thrown off.) The schools were consolidated then, about 1955, making for long bus rides. The new school had inside plumbing, and a manual merry go round and swing set...excellent poem...
Comment Written 17-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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Wow! Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I had another adult leader in our troop that was taught in a one room school house and it was amazing that one teacher could teach all of the grades. Thank you so much for this review. -Mike
Comment from Mustang Patty
Hi, Mike,
One does have to wonder if the children of today will ever have the fun we did as kids. I know the loss of the freedom to 'go outside and play,' and the opportunity to explore outside of your own backyard must be maddening.
Great poem to express the changes over time,
~MP~
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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Hi, Mike,
One does have to wonder if the children of today will ever have the fun we did as kids. I know the loss of the freedom to 'go outside and play,' and the opportunity to explore outside of your own backyard must be maddening.
Great poem to express the changes over time,
~MP~
Comment Written 17-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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My son finally was allowed to use the playground in fourth grade and told me how cool it was and I laughed and boasted, "This is made of plastic and we would have destroyed it in one day, they made ours out of metal." I feel children have lost some childhood in today's world as they are always guided like sheep and told what not to do.;
I appreciate both this review and your observations and thank you for them. -Mike
Comment from DonandVicki
Your poem took me back sixty five years to my old playground (It still exists) steel swing set, same one with mud puddles under the swings where the feet slide.
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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Your poem took me back sixty five years to my old playground (It still exists) steel swing set, same one with mud puddles under the swings where the feet slide.
Comment Written 16-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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There is not greater honor than to hear this. I thank you very much for taking out the time to review my work. =Mike
Comment from karenina
There was a hardscrabble world out there when I was young...playgrounds didn't have soft spongy landing pads and oh-so-safe plastic doo-dads that were no match for the metal slide that left burns in the hot summer sun, or the welded together jungle-gym 99% of us fell from the top of without any mention of a concussion protocol... The Tilt-a-whirl defied astronaut training exercises and if you spun off and onto the pebbled dirt, well--pick yourself up young lad or lassie and climb back on! We were not taught entitlement back then...we made do with what we had and loved it...AND (get this!) we SPOKE to one another without hand held phones--and eschewed anything indoors for the love of a good banana seat bicycle--maybe with playing cards clothes-pinned to the spokes to give it that "authentic" motorcycle sound. I watch parents hover over their soft self absorbed children now and wonder not why...but why NOT--these
little darlings who all get a trophy for "participating" complain when they don't enter the workforce at md-management level or higher...because after all, they HAVE A DEGREE! I wouldn't trade my childhood for all the I-Phones in China...
Karenina
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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There was a hardscrabble world out there when I was young...playgrounds didn't have soft spongy landing pads and oh-so-safe plastic doo-dads that were no match for the metal slide that left burns in the hot summer sun, or the welded together jungle-gym 99% of us fell from the top of without any mention of a concussion protocol... The Tilt-a-whirl defied astronaut training exercises and if you spun off and onto the pebbled dirt, well--pick yourself up young lad or lassie and climb back on! We were not taught entitlement back then...we made do with what we had and loved it...AND (get this!) we SPOKE to one another without hand held phones--and eschewed anything indoors for the love of a good banana seat bicycle--maybe with playing cards clothes-pinned to the spokes to give it that "authentic" motorcycle sound. I watch parents hover over their soft self absorbed children now and wonder not why...but why NOT--these
little darlings who all get a trophy for "participating" complain when they don't enter the workforce at md-management level or higher...because after all, they HAVE A DEGREE! I wouldn't trade my childhood for all the I-Phones in China...
Karenina
Comment Written 16-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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Wow! I thank you very much for this review, sharing your observations and opinions that I don't disagree with. That was the main reason I created this work, as what we enjoyed and got out of our childhoods needed to be preserved.
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OBVIOUSLY your poem tapped the refreshing spigot of my youth!--k
Comment from Mastery
Good job on this, Mike. It flows well and the strong verbs carry it very well. I liked this stanza in particular:
"
Or to her horror with her girlfriend's womanhood inquiry
they thought an 11 year old OB/GYN was totally absurd.
It made for an walk home with her interesting to me...
"Mike, your butting in is not appreciated, so don't
do that again. Leave the woman talk to us."
Brilliant. Bob
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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Good job on this, Mike. It flows well and the strong verbs carry it very well. I liked this stanza in particular:
"
Or to her horror with her girlfriend's womanhood inquiry
they thought an 11 year old OB/GYN was totally absurd.
It made for an walk home with her interesting to me...
"Mike, your butting in is not appreciated, so don't
do that again. Leave the woman talk to us."
Brilliant. Bob
Comment Written 16-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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I thank you for this review and sharing with me what you enjoyed about my poem.
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: ) Bob
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: ) Bob
Comment from jenintorre
I really enjoyed reading this poem about the comparisons of then and now. I found it so nostalgic and atmospheric with a nice touch of humour too. Thanks for sharing. Best wishes. Jen.
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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I really enjoyed reading this poem about the comparisons of then and now. I found it so nostalgic and atmospheric with a nice touch of humour too. Thanks for sharing. Best wishes. Jen.
Comment Written 16-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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I thank you so much for this review. -Mike
Comment from dmt1967
I had fun in my childhood. learned how to protect myself and my friends. Learned what I was good at and what I was not. Your poem tells of loss. The loss of childhood these kids have today. Thank you for sharing.
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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I had fun in my childhood. learned how to protect myself and my friends. Learned what I was good at and what I was not. Your poem tells of loss. The loss of childhood these kids have today. Thank you for sharing.
Comment Written 16-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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I thank you for this very well stated review. That was one of the main reasons that I wrote it.
Comment from Tia Attwood
Hi
This is a great reflection of our schooling years and comparing the way they make play equipment today to yesterday. From sturdy steel and throw away plastic. You go to the park today, as soon as it's been assembled kids break it.
Great Job
Regardss
Tua
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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Hi
This is a great reflection of our schooling years and comparing the way they make play equipment today to yesterday. From sturdy steel and throw away plastic. You go to the park today, as soon as it's been assembled kids break it.
Great Job
Regardss
Tua
Comment Written 16-Oct-2018
reply by the author on 26-Jul-2019
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So very true, or vandalized by the older kids. I think in my childhood, they got things right. I really enjoyed this review and your observations, and thank you very much for taking the time out.
