Let's All Be Peter Pan Poem by Laura Clayton

When we were little kids, our hardest decision was choosing which colour crayon to use
Or which toy to play with at break-time
We didn’t care if our hair was out of place because we were having too much fun rolling down a hill in the summer time
And we never worried that the cheeseburger and chips we just ate would make us gain weight.
We ran carelessly across the road because we didn’t know the meaning of danger
And back then, strangers were our friends.
We weren’t afraid of approaching anyone because we believed that nobody would ever harm us.

But as we grew older, we started to realize why our parents warned us to stay away from strangers
Why they locked the doors at night
Because the world we live in is a cruel, harsh place;
Now we don’t leave the house unless our hair is perfect
And we lose ourselves in all the magazines full of stick-thin models
We look both ways when crossing the road
And walk on the other side when we see someone with their hood up.

Some people say that when you get really old, you return to your childhood,
Well, I say we never leave.