IS THIS THE EIGHTIES OR WHAT?

It's half past eight in the evening

and children on the edge of puberty

are still playing in the kindergarten's park,

and walking slowly past

on my way from the store,

eating a fair trade hazelnut chocolate bar,

I wonder why they are really here,

swinging and laughing happily

in the chill, darkening autumn air,

instead of playing video games

and chatting to their friends on mobiles

in the comfort of their warm rooms?

Yet here they are, half a dozen or so,

only people in sight, girls ands boys,

like ghosts out of time,

clear voices ringing without malice.

Taking a gulp out of my sugar-free drink

I ponder it, aghast.

Shouldn't they be with their noses on

their devices' screens, disregarding calls to dinner,

killing each other on Fortnite,

gossiping on pop stars on WhatsApp?

Yet here they are, in the gloom,

when lights in the old houses flicker on.

What has gone wrong here?

How did we fail them?

When did they get addicted

to swinging through the clear night air,

talking face to face?

I'm sure it's all parents' fault, or society's, or both....

16.09.2019