Black And White
16 June, 2002
author: Rebecca Ditch-Hammack (aka Dreamer)
Life was so much simpler
In the days of black and white
Things were right or wrong
Not other facades so bright
There was no depression
people had good days or bad
Fathers were like Jimmy Stewart
Mom's like June Cleavers, we had
Kids skipped school for fishing
Fights were fought with fists
Kids still played make believe after school
Dates ended with a simple kiss
Fathers worked on weekdays
Mothers stayed home and cooked
Your neighbors were your best friends
a lecture, for bad kids, was all it took
Comedy was slapstick
Not at the expense of hurtful words
People said things the way they were
And Sci-fi was absurb
Life has really changed
Since the days of black and white
So many inbetweens
too many shades of right
People no longer are just sad or happy
Political correctness is what's right
Kids now skip school to do drugs
And a knife or gun ends the fight
Both parents work their lives away
Their children they barely know
Your neighbors are mere strangers
with fences lined up in neat rows
Everything all colorized
Changing all that ever was
Shades of darkness everywere
Life is... what television does.
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Comments on this poem/writing:
| Pamela (199.216.176.5) -- Thursday, July 4 2002, 06:11 am That was awesome, so true as well. I liked how you said straight out that things have changed for the worse, because really, they have. There's no denying that anymore. |
| Becky (63.65.187.40) -- Thursday, July 4 2002, 09:58 am Not necessarily worse, it just 'appeared' to be simpler. I'm glad you enjoyed the poem :) |
| Pamela (199.216.176.5) -- Thursday, July 4 2002, 05:56 pm Thats the thing I love about peotry, is that people can get completely different interpretations from the same poem - interesting how that works. |
| Luc (12.84.1.17) -- Saturday, September 14 2002, 02:26 am thats true, poeple can get diffrent interpretations from the same poem. its just so much fun no? ^.^ lovely work i loves it lots. but ya got to remember not every one had a happy life in the days of black and white. and there were a lot of ppl ending fights with knives maybe not guns but knifes. and there were a lot of ppl still skippy school to do drugs. but yeah back then it was only in certain areas now its every where. no need to contradict or any thing to affend i do like the poem and so true it is, im just pointing out a few details. er yeah adios |
| Gayle Taylor (204.110.45.23) -- Friday, October 4 2002, 06:13 pm Where did you get the idea for this poem? I had a student turn in a very similar poem. |
| Becky -Ditch Hammack aka Dreamer (68.101.29.224) -- Friday, October 4 2002, 10:09 pm I a bit of a ponderer. I write symbolically alot. Basically I was looking at the complexity of life for kids today; and adults for that matter. I compared it to the way I was brought up. Then I thought about how daily and weekly TV is, and was viewed. I noticed how things changed over the years and the way people and life are/were portrayed. In The "Black and white" days families were almost always shown as functional, as the ones mentioned in the poem. Goodness and morality almost always provailed. Nowadays things are shown as complex as are the TV and movies we watch. Loud mouthed, violent and disfunctional familys are everywhere. Killing, red blood, murder all over the screen. No one respects anyone but its all okay. Things aren't so "black and white" things don't always turn out happy in the end. Things aren't so cut and dry. Right isn't always right and visa versa More "color"-ful. Such is our life. Mental illness all over the place, abuses run rampent. Accusations fly who to believe. People are corrupt and angry. Nothing is "Black and white" as it use to appear. Ususally not even close. Thus the naivete of "Black and White" days compared to the "Colorized" versions of today This poem just reflected some of my pondering in an artistic style. Hope this answers your question.. (bet your sorry you asked ;) ) |
| Wendy (24.103.204.41) -- Friday, January 17 2003, 08:37 am I read your poem and it seemed well written but the facts didnt seem so right. Not all people are like what you think. Especially the part about teenagers! I am one myself and I dont drink,smoke,do drugs and am not a little slut!I think that the world has changed for better and for worse. Maybe your just not a people person or something caused you to hate the world, but maybe you should give it another chance and you'll realize that its not all that bad! I think that all your views are wrong and you should probally try to do something about it! |
| Becky (63.65.186.4) -- Friday, January 17 2003, 10:27 pm Maybe you are mistaking TV for real life. This poem is not only about reality it is a comparison of Television of today and yester-years. And the difference contrasted from then and now. But that is poetry.. everyone sees and reads what they see with their own thoughts and not necessarily what the poet was really writing about. Be careful in judging people.. There are many sides to a poets writings. |
| B. Jackson (169.142.1.1) -- Wednesday, February 12 2003, 12:20 am That poem brought back memories. You hit it right on the spot |
| Mo Brin (12.92.34.71) -- Thursday, April 10 2003, 11:32 pm I know I am only 14 but I can see how you are trying to relate the times of my parents to the times of my day. |
| ATHENA R (149.99.98.227) -- Thursday, April 24 2003, 10:18 am if any living person wants to explore there minds body and soul then in all truth reality you must dig in deep and touch things that are beyond black and white. colours are so beautiful why not show every one |
| Jaici (24.94.247.86) -- Monday, July 14 2003, 06:00 am Life is not simple! |
| Johanna (63.224.6.97) -- Wednesday, September 10 2003, 02:36 am I just received another "black & white TV" good ol' days poem so I did a search and came up with this one. If you get your life view from TV those were the good ol' days ... no one reported child abuse or abductions; women knew their place was home (preferably barefoot and pregnant!); it was better to be white than black!! TV is now more honest (although the "reality" shows are a bad sign of the times), but I wouldn't go back for anything. I'm wondering if Rebecca is old enough to really appreciate how far women have come in the past 30 years? Can you imagine being molested and told that you "deserved it" because of how you were dressed? More research before the next sentimental poem... PLEASE! |
| Becky (63.65.186.54) -- Wednesday, September 10 2003, 08:41 am I can do more than imagine it. And basically that hasn't changed. Never said those negative things didn't exist in the real world. Just that our views of them through changes (colorization) did. Black and White TV = naivete, Colorized = awareness |
| Richard Ellis (195.93.34.14) -- Tuesday, October 21 2003, 10:06 pm I really enjoyed your poem, it had great meaning. i have a poetry evening coming up in my school and was wondering if it would be possible to use your poem as the theme is black and White? |
| Megan T. (64.12.96.206) -- Thursday, February 5 2004, 02:44 am You express yourself in a delightful poetic way! But, I'm glad that we have color on our TV's. (Ha, ha, ha) |
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