Baskadia

I stood there awestruck by what I see,

for slowly I realize, this old man, is a part of me, as I of he.

This we both knew, intuitively.

I found that which I had been looking for,

a real live American, just as before.

A man of strengthm of character, and more.

A man like many, I had known before.

But now he sits all alone and askew,

his treasures undiscovered by even a few.

What a wealth this man must have in his mind,

the stories of happenings in past times.

Oh what thrilling stories he could tell,

tales of danger and courage, of beauty and of lies,

maybe even of stealing some old lady’s pies,

This is a man of a time long ago, when one such as he,

was not considered to be, odd, but actually normal, you see.

This old man symbolized America to me.

At least, what America used to be.

And I could see, by the glint in his eyes,

something that he could never disguise.

For in his eyes, I could see,

that this old man had put his hope for America, in me.

That thought really did humble me. So rare it is to see,

someone like him, so open, so honest, so free.

Totally unencumbered by society, by the need to be,

something that he could never be.

He caused me to wonder, America, whatever happened to thee?

You used to be, so close, so happy, so real to me.

But somewhere between yesteryear and here, you became lost to me.

Whatever happened, why did you change, or was it me?

Do I really remember the way things used to be?

Or am I wanting things to be, the way I think they used to be?

America today, isn’t the way it used to be.

It has changed, slowly but surely, almost imperceivably.

Unfortunately, nearly all the changes, has been negatively.

And what has caused these changes, that everywhere I see?

Just what is the cause of so much negativity?

Does anyone have an answer to my plea?

I shall attempt to answer for me.

And I shall endeavor to be,

as honest and as accurate as I can possibly be.

Let's try to look at things logically,

It seems to me, that ever since the advent of TV,

the distance has grown much greater, between thee and me.