I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed
By money and video games
As AIDS killed millions around the word
My life was haunted by the bullying of rich kids
Who had computers and driver's licences
Driving Daddy's Lexus and crashing it every Saturday night
By underaged drinking and unprotected sex
As I am sitting quietly doing the homework
Then, waking up early Sunday morning to attend
A church I questioned
Now, I am still doing work on my poems thinking I am twenty
And the whole world at my feet
But in truth, I am middle-aged and still not famous
I am listening to another poet and wondering: What I did wrong?
Every other poet can relate with it. Writing world is ruthless. I love how you give a glimpse of the eighties. Times have changed. But yes it's good to reminisce and imagine oneself a teenager. I'd give anything to relive the past.
The world of eighties has been brought to life again. Lovely piece of writing. Very honest and expressive. Bravo!
True, LeeAnn, we were in our twenties in the Eighties, and the anarchy that suddenly surfaced in the late seventies and reigned through the eighties are still live in my mind. (Contd)
2. There was wars, inflation, unemployment, gangwars, assassinations of heads of countries, coups, and so on. And then, drugs! The young generation had nothing to look forward to. Corruption was rampant.
Both Ginsberg and Kerouac had spent their lives wondering what they had done wrong. And look what happened to them? It appears that you're in good company, LeeAnn!
You are famous to, and very well liked by, us, your fans on Poemhunter!
Amazing, LeeAnn. There is hint of an often overlooked subject--invisible trauma. This is an especially profound work.
6. Wonderful piece of poetry. Which people of our generation can still feel on our skin. But, even younger Nosheen could relate to it. That is the power of your poem, LeeAnn. Congratulations
4. All these got reflected in art too, especially poetry. I have often reminded myself that I have not been able to come out of my anarchist past. Life is like that.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Profound poem. But in truth, I am middle-aged and still not famous I am listening to another poet and wondering: What I did wrong?