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Feral Youth (so called)

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In the gutters and drains of our cities
In the dead ends of their parents' minds
In a twilight of angry resentment,
a world where only weakness is kind

are empty brains
with empty angry hearts
and empty hours
and lousy, crappy starts

In a fog of mind-altering substances,
and an absence of ethical notions,
are children with adult bodies, 
starved, menacing infant emotions.

Gangster music
gangster names
gangster films
gangster games

In the webs of Fagin-like spiders,
victims seeking victims to beat,
They say that home is where the heart is,
But what if home is the street?

Point the finger
allot the blame
point the finger
it stays the same

In the pages of certain newspapers,
Trading in indignation, 
They’re written off as hoodies,
Who need the birch or castration. 

They’re no different,
They need a life.
Give them hope,
They’ll drop the knife.  

◄ Dust

Halloween haiku ►

Comments

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Isobel

Sat 23rd Oct 2010 11:14

I don't think Janet was saying it was uplifting Cate. I think she was celebrating poetry that goes to the heart of problems - doesn't shy away from things.
I don't know what the answer is. There are plenty I'd like to birch. To really solve it you have to get them as young children, give them decent parents and role models. How hard is it in life, if you don't have that? Bad parenting must have always existed though - without the repercussions that we now see. Perhaps a more disciplined leadersip and society helped rein it in back then... or perhaps it has something to do with too many people, not enough opportunities... or the nature of television... or a combination of all of it.

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Cate Greenlees

Sat 23rd Oct 2010 10:57

A thought provoking poem Dave. Im not sure I agree with Janet that its uplifting though. As a social comment it is powerful, pointing the flaws in the way our society deals with the troubled youth of our generation.
What the answer is I dont know, but I agree it needs addressing badly.
Cate xx

<Deleted User> (7164)

Fri 22nd Oct 2010 14:19

I enjoy reading poetry that is uplifting. This isn't one of them but it is very well thought out with a very humane thread running through it which is most likely due to the authors own nature :-)

A bit of cognitive behavioural therapy might go a long way for the subjects.x

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Laura Taylor

Fri 22nd Oct 2010 09:20

Good stuff Dave - I particularly like the phrase 'trading in indignation' ;)

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Andy N

Fri 22nd Oct 2010 08:07

don't know if this is intended, dave but defo has a feel to a song like quality to me. like it however, in particular the extra syballe at the end off it.

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