What Ever Happened Poem by louis rams

What ever happened to smiles that people used to share
And in their faces you saw they cared.
People were more friendly then
And for a neighbor, they would bend.

People used to feel other peoples pains
Now they say “ oh what a shame”.
People used to walk with dignity and pride
Now they just run and hide.

What ever happened to block parties and such
Where you could get a smile
And a warm gentle touch.

Where people would exchange recipes
And taste each others foods.
And bring smiles of happiness to
Get others out of their moods.

What ever happened to kids playing
Stickball on the streets, and people
Would gather for families to meet.
Where children would sell lemonade
For a nickel a glass, and they would
Run out much to fast.

When you would make your own shoe shine box
And go to the corner of freeman and fox.
The shoes were shined for fifteen cents
The best shines that you could get.

Then we’d get empty pickle jars and fill
Them with cold water and a shot glass
And in the cap, a hole we’d make
And the more they played the greater the stake.

(not many people knew that the colder the water-
(the coin would turn away, and away from the glass it would sway)

We learned to earn a living at a very young age
And living life was a stage.

What ever happened to those days of old
Where people were more friendly
And yet more bold.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED?