Monday 30 April 2007

Being

After doing my blogpoll two posts back, my friend Peter, who resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, emailed me one of his poems, relative to the subject matter of the poll, which referred to my much despised questions from grown-ups during my childhood years.
I am sharing it with you all...

Being

As I recall,
I never ever liked being
a kid
always looking forward to
the day I’d be one of them –
a grownup

They said
It isn’t all that fun being a grownup

What the hell were they talking about?
They answered to no one,
stayed up late,
had money,
kissed,
screwed!

How could they say that?

Bitter,
I wrote them off as fools

Soon after,
I reflected…

Much later,
piqued,
I realised
that they must have liked their childhood

Now, sorry,
I recognise
that they treasured their childhood
more than I treasure being a grownup –

who loves being a kid

from Tossing and Turning
(selfexpress publishing, 2000)
© Peter R. Soulikias

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Well, εγώ απο μικρός ήθελα και θέλω να μεγαλώσω. Και όταν σκεύτομαι τα παιδικά μου χρόνια χαμογελάω (ναι!ήταν ωραία!) αλλά σε καμμία περίπτωση δεν θα ήθελα να ξαναγινόμουν παιδί. Λατρεύω το γεγονός που όσο μεγαλώνω (θέλω να πιστεύω) ωριμάζω μέσα σε αυτον τον παρανοικό κόσμο. Έτσι κι'αλλιώς απο μικρός μου άρεσε να κάνω με μεγαλύτερους ανθρώπους παρέα "αρπάζοντας" κάτι απο την σοφία τους, που αργότερα με προστάτεψαν απο πολλούς κυνδίνους. Άλλωστε το παιδί μπορείς να το βγάλεις πάντα απο μέσα σου,αλλά την εμπειρία πρέπει να την ζήσεις!

Cinestef said...

@Oceano Notturno
L'autore del poem "Being" ha chiesto una traduzione in inglese del vostro commento. State diventando un celebrity vero, mio caro. Già la ho tradotta e la ho trasmessa lui. Baci

Cinestef said...

In Greek, Oceano Notturno said...

Well, ever since I was small, I wanted to grow up and I still do. When I think of my childhood years, I smile (yes, they were good!) yet I would never wish to be a child again. I love the fact that as I grow older (at least that’s what I like to believe) I mature in this totally paranoid world. Nevertheless, ever since I was small, I always liked to keep company with older people, “grabbing” what I could from their wisdom, people who later on protected me from many dangers. Besides, you can always bring out the child in you, but you have to live through the experience of life.

Anonymous said...

I can't see the relevence in asking a child who do they love better their mother or father.That particular one I hated the most and remember quite vividly.It is also inaccurate as well as off-the-charts illogical as the child, ever the opportunist,will answer the generic "Idunno' and shy away, or give one parent the look of death sneer for having been grounded and choose the other at that particular moment.They may want to ask questions on a more generic field so as not to look like fools, like 'hey how's scool buddy'? or maybe how did the concert go or talk some sort of intelligence.Also, a small child doesn't know their career path at nine years ofage and possibly will change it many times. Ever noticed that they all want to be doctors or teachers to begin with?...I think grown-ups in general should lay off the classics and talk to children in a language they understand and leave out the saxlamares.