My Golden Age

© Mark Betcher

Sent to the corner store to buy cigarettes
With Mom's grocery list, two dollar 'n 50 cent

Born in a golden age

I bought wonderous bread and a pare of wax lips
Sweet colored water bottles you bite off the tips

Born in a golden age

Grow up 'cross the street from the cemetery
We made super 8 movies that weren't very scary
I built a fort with old yellow boards
I hit my brother in the head with a homemade sword

Went to a grade school we called DamnIt
I talked to martians on a toy radio set

Born in a golden age

Bobby was a bully, his power was respected
He never did dirty work, he was always protected

By the biggest kid in the class

Captain America was my only hero
But even comic book hero couldn't stop this zero
Bobby was murdered in a bad drug score
Sad, I laughed, he wasn't even 44

Sally was a young thing, she was my first
I should have known better but I quenched my thirst

Born in a golden age

Me, Jew Boy, Preacher Kid and Sweaty Sam
Drank 3 / 2 beer out of the can

Born in a golden age

Preacher Kid wanted to build pipe bombs
Jew Boy smoked pot and so did his Mom
Sweaty Sam had a condition of the glands
Sally tried to escape from our golden land

20 years later I found my last childhood friend
A married farmer raising soy beans in the end
I asked him have you turned a new page?
At long last I turn around and face my golden age