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This Poem was Submitted By: Paul R Lindenmeyer On Date: 2005-01-11 17:10:46 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!

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Boomers

The post war baby boom, thats us. Before TV was, we were. Flash and Zarkov ruled videoland, Tonto and the Masked Man always won, and no one could quite handle Mrs. Kents' boy Clark. Mickeys' ears were a must, and decent clean cut kids were hooked on Gunsmoke. Where Harry "Gave em hell", Ike used his benevolent smile. The "Riders" traveled thru bigotry laden countrysides, and thoes cozy smoke filled back rooms were filled with more than cigar smoke. Camelot was envisioned and the muffled drums of that cold November day were endured. The college eruption spewed forth angry clouds of Kent State violence through which even Goldwater hawks couldn't fly. But somewhere time derailed us, and like our corn flakes, quietly sugar coated our reality. Now P&E ratios and Moneyline rule vidoland, IRA's and golden parachutes are in vogue, and "Takin it to the streets", means there's an art fair coming up. Perhaps, in the end, we become them........

Additional Notes:
Revision of on going work.

This Poem was Critiqued By: Gerard A Geiger On Date: 2005-09-07 01:33:29
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 1.00000
Dear Paul; I have to comment on this piece.. You don't need to revise... it is fine, just fine... Yes we do sugar coat the past and the trials and tribulations of the sixties, when a whole country was busy growing up and making huge mistakes on both sides of the fence. From its limited perspective of inexperience youth had a ready answer for everything....and could not/would not compromise its ideals...(or sell out) Well, yes we grew up...we learned to compromise to achieve the most meaningful goals, and shock!! we became them, only a little bit better (IMHO). Thanks for this thoughtful work. Your friend, Gerard

This Poem was Critiqued By: Joanne M Uppendahl On Date: 2005-02-02 12:28:44
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Hi Paul: I enjoyed this piece for its 'long view' of a generation. You effectively combine nostalgia with a dose of present day 20-20 hindsight here. From the first line, I think you are speaking as one of the Baby Boom generation, and in the final line I think you show how "we become them" -- that is, how we become what we observe, and unless we take action, the danger exists that we will perpetuate the past. As someone born slightly on the edge of the Boomer generation, I can relate to many of the cultural events you describe in this fascinating free verse poem. The post war baby boom, (that's) us. Before TV was, we were. --Yes, radio was king in those day! Flash and Zarkov ruled videoland, Tonto and the Masked Man always won, --Things seemed simple then, in our naiveté. and no one could quite handle Mrs. (Kent's) boy Clark. --What nostalgia comes with this line. (Mickey's) ears were a must, --Brought back the theme song immediately! and decent clean cut kids were hooked on Gunsmoke. --This reader preferred James Garner's dimples in Maverick <smile> Break? Where Harry "Gave em hell", Ike used his benevolent smile.--Evokes the "I Like Ike" campaign deftly The "Riders" traveled thru --"Range Rider" or "The Young Riders" --? bigotry laden countrysides,--The truth behind the facade and (those) cozy smoke filled back rooms were filled with more than cigar smoke.--How little we knew then! Camelot was envisioned and the muffled drums of that cold November day were endured. --These three lines evoke the era (and its tears). The college eruption spewed forth angry clouds of Kent State violence through which even Goldwater hawks couldn't fly. Maybe a break here? -- see what you think. But somewhere time derailed us, and like our corn flakes, quietly (sugar-coated) our reality.--Kellog's Frosted Flakes and Tony the Tiger Now P&E ratios and Moneyline rule (videoland), IRA's and golden parachutes are in vogue, and "(Takin') it to the streets"[,] means there's an art fair coming up. Perhaps, in the end, we become them... Paul, you effectively show how we can enjoy nostalgia, drift along, and forget that change happens best when we take action. While the poem is entertaining, it also reminds readers that complacency and materialistic values (accepting a "sugar-coated reality") are insidious and that we are still responsible for taking a stand for those things in which we believe. I am looking forward to reading more of this ongoing work. Bravo! All the best, Joanne

This Poem was Critiqued By: Kelly Denise LaBeff On Date: 2005-01-31 06:10:37
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.96296
Perhaps, in the end, we become them........AAAUUGGH PAUL! Don't say that! I wouldn't make a very good version of one of today's babies! I'm with you, what has happened, better yet, WHAT have we allowed to happen to our world? Being only [nearly] 40, I don't quite fit the bill for an original post war baby boomer, but born in 65 I'm definitely a decent clean cut kid or at least what one might call a "re-run" version, you think? This verse packs a lot, says a lot, but its meaning goes far beyond what its 'packing says'!..So much true, none of it camoflauged, or with a hidden agenda either! Your verse brought to mind a lot of good times and great memories, too, but the thing I think you stirred within me most was when you wrote, "Camelot was envisioned"..I remember when as children we use to entertain ourselves by playing hide and seek, chase, kick the can, or otherwise we'd be off in the neighbor's field imagining we were King Arthur's knights of the round table, or that we were a super hero like Batman or Superman. Basically, about the worse one could do was pretend to be "Bonnie and Clyde" back then and that's only because they were villians, not because we as kids were actually doing something wrong. Now, however, if you hear, "Johnny's Gotta GUN, Johnny's Gotta GUN," you better darn well believe it and take off running! I hate what our world's become, drug dogs in middle school and all! YES, "Takin it to the streets" refers to an art exhibit, but in my house my youngest two teenagers won't allow me to say "Oh! That's so tight!"....Trying to fit in with my kids, I might say that phrase, but when I say it I'm saying, 'I like this, I think this is cool[cool-don't ask, but that's another no-no word, too??]', but evidentally it has another meaning as well / one that mom is not hip to either,,,don't want to know as a matter of fact either! You're right, Paul, "time derailed us" and someone "quietly sugar coated our reality" you ended this verse with a truth beyond words of real recognization! This verse contained a unique subject, you used a creative flare within both fields of your language and visual arts, and you evoked emotion and thoughts from your reader! So, poet Paul, you did an excellent job, and were doubly well well crafted, Keep it up and thanks a million times over for letting me read your poetry! Kelly

This Poem was Critiqued By: Dellena Rovito On Date: 2005-01-25 17:26:54
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.80000
Paul, I don't think we become them........as they don't become us. Thank god. Maybe thats the variety in the spice of life. 'You took me back to previous days and the trip was good. Truman/Ike/Kennedy But somewhere time derailed us, and like our corn flakes, quietly sugar coated our reality. [so it will go down easier?] I think usingg stanzas would make easier reading. My best to you, Dellena

This Poem was Critiqued By: Claire H. Currier On Date: 2005-01-20 20:47:46
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.50000
Paul you have me sitting on grampa's lap eating coffee ice cream listening to the Lone Ranger on the radio.....what memories you bring forth with this one .......before tv we used to talk, play, whatever......remembering that ugly box that came into the house and how enormous it was sitting there staring back.....oh Lord my dad got stuck on Soaps.........Mickey and his friends......never thought one would actually meet him did we? So much to be enjoyed, so much missed by other generations...liked the title Boomers.....quite appropriate, good structure with word flow that does not allow one to leave until finished his or her reading and then the thoughts and images set forth keep you there a bit longer as the memories begin to pour forth.....good job.....thank you for posting and sharing with us......my own spelling is not good but I do know you need to change 'thoes to those' ....looking forward to more....Be safe, God Bless, Claire

This Poem was Critiqued By: arnie s WACHMAN On Date: 2005-01-17 13:20:26
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.80000
I am one of those that "think young." At least that's what my peers tell me, and I think that is so indicative of that era of time. For me it was a time of panty raids and just having good clean fun (whatever that would be). Sure we got drunk at University but never went out to hurt anyone. Guns...never knew anyone that owned one except for the farmers. I was a Canadian kid caught in the vortex of an American University where we followed our basketball team and took long crazy drives of 18 hours to see them play at Madison Sq. Garden and then turn around and went back for classes (Midwest).School proms and frats/sororities were the thing and we competed openly and fairly against each other. There were dances almost every w/end. There was a sense of fairness and comraderie...and then there was Vietnam that blew it all apart. Sorry for this long disertation, but I had to get it out. Thanks again for this piece. It brought back (as you can see) memories (of which there are many more).

This Poem was Critiqued By: Tony P Spicuglia On Date: 2005-01-13 12:03:46
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Paul, there is the resilient string throughout this entire piece. I wonder if you were early, mid, or late boomer. Occasionally the bite hits in this piece, but more often than not the philosophy gives way to the Wonder Years. My guess is early boomer, though you write well from all aspects of the moment. Somehow the early boomers were more balanced, and the mid-boomers saw no good in any of it. The late boomers, were the “Wonder Years” boomers. Anyways, you capture well “the moment”. The post war baby boom, thats (that’s) us. Before TV was, we were. – Great line, how much I recall with amazement TV, and later, mid sixties, color TV. Flash and Zarkov ruled videoland, Tonto and the Masked Man always won, and no one could quite handle Mrs. Kents' (Kent’s) boy Clark. Mickeys' (Mickey’s) ears were a must, and decent clean cut kids were hooked on Gunsmoke. – This is written quite well. I like the manner you in which you gave us a synopsis, but kept the “philosophical” inferences for another line. Truly, no matter what, there is a “wonder years’” that existed in parallel with other, “moments in history”. Where Harry "Gave em hell", Ike used his benevolent smile. The "Riders" traveled thru bigotry laden countrysides, and thoes (those) cozy smoke filled back rooms were filled with more than cigar smoke. – These last lines made me feel like you were early boomers. But then again, I am a history buff, who has studied the philosophies and makers and shakers enough that I could have written this much the same as you did. An excellent transition from your earlier lines. Camelot was envisioned and the muffled drums of that cold November day were endured. – (If I had any criticism of this work, I would say, add at least two more lines to this. It is the one thing that impacted all of us, no matter persuasions, and those lines only “intimate” the impact. The college eruption spewed forth angry clouds of Kent State violence through which even Goldwater hawks couldn't fly. – I cannot help but “go at this line”. The Hawks of the time were JF Kennedy and Johnson, Goldwater wanted to get it done and get out. Anyway, I think, characterize Goldwater as a hawk if you will, but if you leave out the other two players, you have “hedged” history. Personally, I think only Bobby Kennedy or Nixon, in that order; could have disentangled us, and McGovern would have cost southeast Asia double the five million that were slaughtered when we left. But somewhere time derailed us, and like our corn flakes, quietly sugar coated our reality. – This is the metaphor for your entire piece, and how true it is. You expand later on the thesis, but how much could we improve, if we went back and put the edge on the “sugar coating” that came out of Vietnam and Watergate. Excellent line, (on a personal note, I have often asked myself that very question). Now P&E ratios and Moneyline rule vidoland (videoland), IRA's and golden parachutes are in vogue, and "Takin it to the streets", means there's an art fair coming up. Perhaps, in the end, we become them........ – One might first associate affluence with “being them” but were they “them” who gave up affluence to save the world during ww2, was my dad, them, who raised me to love my country, and respect the constitution, or who exactly are them? Maybe, “being them” is only the vision of the next generation, I don’t know, but I think, I don’t feel badly being called them. No matter the war, the moment, the reaching for the moon, I like them. This is a great, thought provoking piece, at least, it though provoked me, and that always restores, me. Thanks Paul!!

This Poem was Critiqued By: Mell W. Morris On Date: 2005-01-12 18:19:29
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Paul, This is a shift from what you usually post or perhaps I've not read enough to categorize you and your work. (Don't you hate the sneer and condescension of being fit in your pigeon hole?) Your title tells us the theme and says, "That's us (we)"....redeemed by "Before TV was, we were." It would be interesting to know the average age of the poets here, something I rarely think about unless it's true juvenalia. I would correctly punctuate your poem (Kent's boy, Mickey's,'em hell, bigoty-laden, through, those, and smoke-filled)...but it's trivia. However, when you send your pieces for submission, be sure such matters are corrected. "But somewhere time derailed us, and like our corn flakes, quietly sugar coated our reality." Brilliant, purely exquisite. I find I cannot easily move past Camelot and the muffled drums of that cold November day were endured...and you didn't even have room for Nam. I think your penultimate line should be the end as it's sooooo great! What about this? "Now P&E ratios and Moneyline rule videoland, IRA's are in vogue, and maybe it's true the child is father to the man because today, "Takin' It To The Streets" means an art fair is coming our way." That's another example of trivia or really nit-nit but if I ever see an option, I'll slide it in to give you something to think about. This piece is grand and I'm interested to see any revision you might do. Bravo! Mell Morris

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