The World Has Changed

I wrote this poem in 2003.  Over the previous two years, the country had been attacked by terrorists, our mail was laced with anthrax, Enron corporate bigwigs were brought down, and John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo had held the Washington metropolitan area hostage for three weeks.  It was a very difficult time and our lives were changed forever.  Yesterday evening John Allen Muhammad, the DC sniper, was executed for his crimes in the Commonwealth of Virginia, while Lee Boyd Malvo serves a life prison term.

The World Has Changed

As kids we'd play outside till night

We'd laugh and scream and sometimes fight

On bikes we'd travel far and wide

Till street lights on meant "come inside"

With dodge ball, hop scotch, double dutch

Hula hoops, marbles, jacks and such

Bubble gum cards five cents a pack

And penny candy cost just that.

Funny how the world has changed

What's normal now is oh so strange.

The kids today stay in the house

With hands connected to a mouse

Desktops, laptops, hand-helds too

Instant messaging with the crew

Video games that each must own

At prices that make parents moan

Cable TV is a must

With violence, drugs, sex and lust.

Troubling how the world has changed

What's normal now is oh so strange.

Bottles had only screw-off tops

Doors and windows were left unlocked

9-11 was a call to police

Terrorists hadn't affected our Peace

Only law men carried guns

Priests were trusted with our sons

Metal detectors weren't in schools

Traveling on a plane was cool.

Scary how the world has changed

What's normal now is oh so strange.

Bottles now have protective seals

Yards display security shields

Alarms are standard on most cars

Windows in our homes are barred

Girls can't walk to school alone

Nanny cameras in our homes

Teachers fear the kids in schools

Sued when trying to enforce rules.

HIV is claiming lives

Fighter planes police our skies

Cars are jacked with frequency

Kids are taking Ecstasy

Anthrax threatens through the mail

Corporate honchos seeking bail

Kids kill kids in gangland wars

Snipers lurk outside our stores.

Sad the way the world has changed

What's normal now is oh so strange.