" The Joy In Childhood "

Ah, how fondly I recall playing outside all day
My mother yelling, "It's time to come in!"
And being upset that the night had to come
Because running through the forest with friends
Was so much fun
Carefree, summer days, using only imagination
And other kids from the neighborhood
To create a magical Kingdom
And save the damsel in distress
All in a days fun and only stopping for lunch
Even the food tasted better when I was young
Baseball, football, birthday parties
A never ending stream of laughter
Filled with brand new things to do
Never bored at all
Family picnics and the Zoo
Grilling in the back yard
Sleeping under the stars too
Teasing with my sisters
Saturday morning cartoons
The world was one big playground then
How I cherish and admire
The rollercoaster of those days
In retrospect
I believed in Santa then
And that families were a thing
That would never end
Wow! what a way to begin
This life-long
Wonderment we're in.......

Tony Taylor  (Chicago)