Less than a century ago, our grandparents grew up

on farms or in quaint, little towns, big families

with six or seven kids, playing and running

all about. Few toys and plenty of work

Less free time, but more family time

Parents, all for their kids, work in pursuit of the American Dream

Our grandparents become adults; there’s no longer time to dream

They finish school, find jobs, settle down, and start their own journey up

the ladder. Our parents are born in a turbulent time:

The sixties and ‘Nam have just ended, oil prices are on the rise. But these families

are prospering. There’s more free time for family and less work

hours to punch in. The American Dream is in sight, we must keep on running

Collecting more clothes, goods, bigger houses and cars along the way, we keep running

Our parents are now grownups, reality keeps their dreams

at bay. Hope for the future makes the work

easier to bear. Our standard of living goes up

Again. Less work, yet more pressure to ‘succeed’. Smaller families,

with more money. But more time?

It’s finally our time.

We’re the little kids playing and running

all around. Too many toys and no work, but our families

have changed. Mansions, SUVs, stainless-steel appliances, bottled water- the American Dream

After 3 generations of climbing up

the ladder, we have arrived. The work

of our parents and the work

of their parents have all led to this time.

After years of looking up

yearning to get to the top and running

in pursuit of the American Dream

we’ve made it, but, it seems, at the cost of our families.

Years ago, families

used to be most important. Not smart phones, Twitter, nor Netflix, nor work

Families worked together toward the Dream.

But more than that, they spent time

Together. Playing, laughing, running

But I guess their time is up.