Jan Allison Poet Limerick

Notes About The Poem

Antisocial Behaviour

Young Peter is far from perfect
Teen anger he fails to deflect
His trail of destruction
Has caused such a ruction
You should see the items he’s wrecked

His parents do little to stop him
They’re addicts, and too busy popp’in
Heroin and pills
Which don’t cure their ills
The outlook for Peter is grim

He ‘borrowed’ a car with his mates
and drove very fast round estates
they didn’t get far
cos they crashed the car
they’ve not even got their L plates!

He shoplifts from the local shops
Been caught many times by the cops
The stupid young fool
He breaks ev’ry rule
T’will be a good job when he stops.

He damaged his neighbours new wall
With spray paint he began to scrawl
Words that were so rude
With pictures so crude
His actions they did so appal

These issues are across our nation
Good morals are a strong foundation
We must guide our youth
With respect and truth
Perhaps it will be their salvation!


Unsuitable for contest as its not free verse but i thought it was still worth posting:-)

4/8/18

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Arthur Vaso April 13, 2018 at 9:40 PM Very well written! As I think I know the background very lovely poem. Jan Allison April 14, 2018 at 9:27 AM Just based on a programme i watch on the TV based on the Durham police force its called police Interceptors but these issues are widespread its so sad:-) hugs jan xxx

Daniel Schack April 13, 2018 at 6:13 PM like this one very much, good writing. Daniel schack Jan Allison April 13, 2018 at 6:14 PM Thanks Daniel, i love writing limericks and usually go for humour but this one has a serious message:-) hugs Jan xx

Gershon Wolf April 10, 2018 at 2:00 PM A very interesting ending to this one...and, gee, I've always thought that wayward youth is wayward precisely BECAUSE of oldsters' best efforts to imbue them with 'values.' Maybe the parental generation should order their kids to rebel, do drugs, take ridiculous risks, etc. That way they won't want to. It just might work. Who knows? Jan Allison April 10, 2018 at 2:07 PM You may be right with your theory Gershon... but i'm sure my friend who lost her 2 son's in 2014 to a drugs related tragedy would disagree - it sure rocked our world and my son was devastated:-( Hugs jan xx

FJ Thomas April 10, 2018 at 11:04 AM A true life limerick; unusual and amazing. Our youth will never get better because our adult's refuse to; parents AND teachers. And depending where you're from, disrespectful, bullying law enforcement. This was amazing Jan! Jan Allison April 10, 2018 at 11:12 AM Thanks for that awesome comment Shadow and i can only agree with your thoughts! We are lucky we have very little crime on the Island but having worked with teenagers for 16 years you can almost predict the names you will see in the papers:-( It's a shame I can't enter it in the contest but it stipulates free verse but i thought it was worthy of posting in its own right:-) hugs jan xx

Seren Roberts April 9, 2018 at 5:46 PM Hi Jan,such sorely painful poem, as was said by others it all starts at the cradle, parents the teachers, bad behaviour curbed as it starts.....Seren Jan Allison April 9, 2018 at 5:53 PM Got to agree with you Seren and so many of the kids have a very poor start in life, schools try to educate but here is little they can do about behaviour outside school (or from my experience inside too:-( hugs jan xx

Caren Krutsinger April 9, 2018 at 12:34 PM It is darling! Whimsical, and fun when you really get to the feeling level, Jan. Kuddos! Jan Allison April 9, 2018 at 12:35 PM Thanks Caren:-) hugs Jan xx

Anne-Lise Andresen April 9, 2018 at 7:38 AM - "My son ...... never !!!" .... - Upbringing and respect? ... - It's the parents to blame - A excellent poem, Jan :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :) Jan Allison April 9, 2018 at 7:43 AM My son never either, the background of the children certainly seems to play a huge part Anne-Lise, schools can try to educate but it has to be backed up by parent or parents :-( hugs Jan xx

Viv Wigley April 8, 2018 at 10:05 PM A good hidin never did me any harm, Jan- I once got a clip round the ear from a Policeman for playing footie in the street, and went home crying. Dad asked what had happened. I told him. he clipped my other ear. I had to sleep on my back, ears swollen like an elephant. Great write! Viv x Jan Allison April 8, 2018 at 10:17 PM Those were the days Mr Viv and kids were frightened of the cops - now kids like 'Peter' they are just totally disrespectful and uncontrollable. Kids need clear guidelines and parent's who discipline and guide them.... but sadly this isn't the case with many:-( hugs jan xx

Susan Gentry April 8, 2018 at 7:54 PM A lot of factors enter into Peter's slow spiral downhill, although many with same factors are totally opposite. Old enough to be feeling consequences of broken laws... A great write and I enjoyed reading. It'll do good in some other contest I'm sure. Jan Allison April 8, 2018 at 9:49 PM Thanks Susan, I doubt it would fit another contest but I'm glad i posted it, I enter fewer and fewer contests in general these days:-) hugs Jan xx

Ilene Bauer April 8, 2018 at 3:59 PM anything you write is worth posting, jan! you've described this sad state of affairs very well - and in limerick form, no less! well done... Jan Allison April 8, 2018 at 4:04 PM Thanks Ilene I didn't even look at the title contest so I was totally offtrack for a contest poem but it was worth posting anyway and I seldom write a serious limerick and this bucks the trend:-) hope you are feeling much better:-) hugs jan xx

Kim Rodrigues April 8, 2018 at 3:09 PM Great job! And the list goes on and on until he’s gotten a hold of...his senses! Jan Allison April 8, 2018 at 3:10 PM either he gets hold of his senses or the law gets hold and he gets a sentence:-( hugs jan xx

Tom Cunningham April 8, 2018 at 1:59 PM Brilliant limerick Jan, The law is too soft on these antisocial morons, they make other peoples lives hell for sure. They moan about their human rights and stuff and they know the law inside out. In the old days the local bobby would give them a clip around the year then take them to their parents who would give them another clip Spare the rod and spoil the child comes to mind. Tom. Jan Allison April 8, 2018 at 2:04 PM You are so right there with your comment Tom and to see the way they speak to those in authority beggars belief, i have no idea what can be done to curb their behaviour and get them to turn their lives around, there used to be Borstal and young offenders institutions but i think many just came out with improved skills and not those that benefit the community. hugs jan xx

Line Gauthier April 8, 2018 at 1:39 PM Sad how youth squanders its potential. Beautiful poem, Jan. Jan Allison April 8, 2018 at 1:45 PM Thanks Line, you in time hope these youngsters can turn their lives around, otherwise they are heading for a life of crime:-) hugs jan xx

Mike Gentile April 8, 2018 at 12:49 PM As indeed it is, Jan!!! Such truths spoken here. I see the same things here and worry the future. As always Fabulous Limerick Jan Allison April 8, 2018 at 12:55 PM I'm lucky we don't see it on our little Island but I watch a TV programme based in Durham in the UK and its scary to see these things happening on a daily basis:-( hugs Jan xx

Andrea Dietrich April 8, 2018 at 9:42 AM Yes, it's sad when we have to write on a topic according to a given form. This is a great way of writing about that specific topic, but we can't use the form, so.....(this has happened to me too when I did not pay close enough attention to the challenge rules and ended up with a good poem I could not enter!!) Jan Allison April 8, 2018 at 9:45 AM The contest rules can be restrictive and I didn't even read the title properly otherwise i would have seen free verse, that said i woke up with the first limerick in my head and just went with the theme so maybe it was never destined for the contest in the first place:-) hugs jan xx

Tim Smith April 8, 2018 at 9:39 AM When the parents don't care the kids go to rot. Great lims Jan Jan Allison April 8, 2018 at 9:44 AM Exactly Tim and for the TV prog i watch more often than not the kids don't have positive role models at home and end up in trouble with the law:-( hugs jan xx

Heidi Sands April 8, 2018 at 9:32 AM Definetly worth posting Jan. Well written and it shows how morals are on the decline for sure. Jan Allison April 8, 2018 at 9:36 AM You are so right there Heidi. I hate to waste an idea and even though the form is not correct it was worth posting:-) hugs jan xx

Anna Hopper April 8, 2018 at 9:20 AM Nice! Jan Allison April 8, 2018 at 9:22 AM Thanks Anna, I'm lucky we live on a little Island and there is very little behaviour like this but i was a TV programme about 'police enforcers' and the amount of antisocial behaviour is escalating much of it is fueled by drink and drugs:-( hugs Jan xx

Arturo Michael April 8, 2018 at 9:13 AM It's like any fatal disease...if not treated with antibiotics...he'll never heal...A conscious poem indeed...All the best Jan Jan Allison April 8, 2018 at 9:16 AM Thanks Arturo - I watch a 'police enforcers' programme on the TV and sadly my poem reflects on what I see there - education is key but it needs to begin at home and sadly many of these youths do not have good role models in their lives:-( hugs jan xx