As old age upon us descends,
we view the past through rosy lens.
It seems to us that bygone days
were far better in many ways.
The memories of better times
help us cope when life serves up limes.
They give us hope that better days
will soon return, like Dawn’s bright rays.
But dreaming of the good old days
can cause us to live in a daze
and rob us of the good in life
that abounds amidst its strifes.
The good old days had their fair share
of heartache, trouble, strife, and care.
The present times, in many ways,
are better than the good old days.
Treasure the good from bygone days
Let them inform your present ways
So, you can reap the very best,
As you progress in your life quest.
these signs of the times
I see everywhere I walk
I can’t understand
why I’m chased off of the block
why segregated we stand
inspired by Norman Rockwell's “The Problem We All Live With (Ruby Bridges)” 1964. symbolizing the struggle for civil rights and school desegregation in the United States
ran down grassy slopes
looking for bleating lambs
chasing butterflies~
our world buoyant like bubbles
high up, dazzling rainbow hues.
Your access denied.
Tick: I am not a robot.
A system outage,
remember the good old days,
when pen and paper would do.
Bouncing off a trampoline
Anton Dvorak fell on his head ~
A ‘cancelled Czech’
Poor Anton was dead
Long ago, in the 1600’s
Native Americans were not so financial...
Sold Manhattan for 24 bucks
A transaction they wish they could cancel
Then, the Good Old Days
Better than what’s now, always
This law, all obeys
When, in good times past
Bygones better, Everlast
Nows always surpassed
And, back further still
Even better then, until
The best be all's it’ll
But, this trend is woe
Each past better than then's now
Life keeps getting worse
‘Till, the Now-a-Days
At the bottom of the hill
Things aren't looking up
No, they’re not and won’t
All generations to come
The next Kids Today
Spending a day making donuts with Grandma
I am yet to have the good old days
It has just been just wishes of death
To give me one big rest
When I have money
I am way too drunk
When I am poor
I am way too sad
In the Good Old Days
I had dreams of the better days
Tommorrow never came
Today never set
yesterday never stayed.
I hope these are not my good old days
I am still on my old ways
Getting lost in my dreams
I cant find a real place
If it downhill from here
Id rather death steaal me away
Nothing rivaled the lemonade in Georgia.
Now, you could also find some damn good lemonade in the neighboring state of South Carolina. Virginians liked to think they too made fine lemonade, and it was better than anything north of the Potomac.
But the best was in Georgia.
And people in the good old days really did drink their lemonade on a lazy, late summer afternoon on the front porch of their wooden house as their kindly old dog, usually a Labrador or a golden retriever, lay down by their feet.
It happened exactly like that.
Just the way you’ve always pictured it.
The boys at the school were constipated
So the nurse lined them up and gave them cod liver oil
Some tried to escape, but she was mighty
And she had nurse’s aides who dragged them back by their ears
The good old days when you could do such things
Whatever happened to the good old days,
when your phone would ring
and people called, just to say hello.
When the days seemed longer
and the work hours shorter ,
when laughter was heard from your neighbors
porch and there was always coffee on;
Whatever happened to the good old days,
when children would play outdoors
and we always made time for each other.
Let’s bring back those “Good old days”
Claim it’s for the best
Give everyone a washing bin
Lye soap and scrubbing board
Hang the clothes on a ‘clothes line”
Outside to let them dry
Bring back the “in ground” compost bin
Metal cans of un-bagged trash
Leave the mice and rats alone
They have a “lobby” of their own
Buy your groceries every day
In bags for which you have to pay
You’ll be in bed by ten at night
Cuz that’s when they’ll turn out the lights
So go ahead, I dare ya, Tweet it
They serve us CROW knowing we’ll eat it
John g. Lawless
©5/10/2023
From side to side;
the smile of the morning sun,
and the cool of the midnight moon,
amidst the sparky stars.
I grin like a Cheshire cat.
as I seat underneath Divinity’s love for the globe;
the Soft breezes blow from odorous meadows
I get filled up with
nostalgic memories,
Oh! the good old days.
my dark brown eyes,
the dark youthful skin,
my frizzy youthful hair.
Everything retreated from me.
Oh! the good sweet old days,
Am now ancient,
My never ending epistemophilia and
wish to give the young people optimism.
my adaptability be exhume,
and live among the folk.
Change cannot be paused,
it’s an automatic,
it needs not your consent to transpire.
Wreathed in smiles,
about my then and now;
I go to slumber like
a bird singing on the tree.
I’ve tasted of life’s sweet wine.
It’s all too easy
To reminisce and languish in memories
Our mind tricks us
Rose coloured filter
Applied to events past
Negatives replaced with positives
Significant details omitted
Facts artfully edited
Festooning flourishes added
The canvas reworked
The narrative nudged
Remembrance airbrushed
Our role as protagonist enhanced
So yesteryear reappears with fondness
Illuminated with a soft romantic glow
Enhancing all things past
Thus we yearn for a return
To an illusion of time long gone
If only we could focus
And expend the same mental energy
Creating a positive present
And a future filled with promise
Stop clinging to the ephemeral “good old days”
Make your today count every day
And invest energy wisely in your tomorrow
In the good old days, I rode all over town.
Our city had so many hills that on my bike
I’d be ploughing up one street, then racing down.
Loved that bike, but still don’t like to hike!
In the good old days, I ate a lot of food!
Didn’t gain an ounce of fat till I hit puberity.
No more eating for me any more just cause I’m in the mood!
I weigh myself each morning and count each calorie.
In the good old days with my siblings I would play.
Nowadays I’m at home and often alone.
That’s okay; I’m good with either way,
and I can always call my sisters up and talk by phone.
In the good old days, I could dream of dreamy guys,
and I could date a lot of guys (get different new first kisses -
sometimes great; sometimes not!) Today I have the prize
of nearly half a century spent now as a Missus!
Jan. 16, 2021
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.