Target Practice with Little Children

The ghosts from the past
Are sure to outlast
All that will ever be
Or can be comfortably
Said to have ever been conceived.

Future evils will deceive
And present ills
Will become tomorrow's pills,
Which are guaranteed to give
Excruciating thrills
And get us over many large molehills.

Babies are delivered,
Along with letters, messages,
And larger packages.
Streets we set off on come to ends.
Winding paths just cause us
To take more baths.

Forgiveness is the cup
We can daily pass up.
And "for our own protection"
Is the cough we can't shake off.

The ringing in our ears
Since when we were young
Is the recognition of all the day's fears.
And with the telephone,
We try to find out about home.

In the past,
Ideas used to outlast.
Today they easily fade
As tomorrow's dreams are quickly made.

So children are bred
On the past, present, future dreads,
All that emerges from inside our heads.

© 2001 Koko Jaeger