The Future

by Lisa Zaran


Have the new children arrived yet?
Have they come bearing dirty fingernails
and nails-on-chalkboard voices.
Are they being deliberately loud,
disobedient and downright naughty.
Have they trampled through every
horticultured lawn, torn the bark
from every tree just to ply a nest
from its place of ease.
Have they gummed the picnic tables
at the park.  Have they written slimy
terms on our mailboxes.
Have they tortured the cats,
broken any windows.  Why is the
nature trail still unlittered.
Why hasn't the field been set on fire.
How is it that old man Dunn can
still walk down the sidewalk without
being assaulted by snowballs or pellets
from an air gun.  Where are the new children?  
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