Yesteryear

I long for a time before television crime
When children's playtime was outside in the sun
Before game shows, and talk shows, reality shows, and freaks
Moved into our homes and our lives

When dinner was made from scratch, not a box
And families gathered for reading and talk
When games were on boards, or out on sidewalks
I yearn for that time, long ago

Walking home late at night, alone, but quite safe
Catching rides up the road to the lake
Buying chips and a soda for twenty-five cents
And two Mallo bars for less than a quarter

When police were as friends, like Griffith and Fife
And justice didn't hang in a court
A man's word was his honor, in that you could trust
And the town drunk wasn't scorned for disorder

I long for a time, before television slime
Seeped into our homes and our hearts
I yearn for a time, before media grime
Soiled clear perspectives, and mucked up good choice