A Prairie Home Companion from American Public Media: Spring Lyric Contest

Untitled poem by Rachel Enrich of Norfolk, VA
(Rachel's Bio)

Why are the children inside
on a beautiful Spring day?
Not so long ago,
before the time of video,
they played outside,
racing up streets on bicycles
or hitting balls with sticks or,
if they were lucky, bats.
The even luckier went to
the local pool and stayed until closing.
Less athletic children lazed on porches
with books and sodas or lemonade or
played with dolls in the yard, pretending to be teachers or doctors or mommies.

Now the children stay inside and
watch television or play video games.
Glued to the screen, eyes glazed over, they sit, trapped inside someone else's imagination.
Never realizing their own possibilities,
or having their own dreams.
They will become doctors and teachers and mommies,
but not like those of the past.
Instead they will constantly be tuned
to computers,television and cell phones.
Ignoring the world around them,
missing out on fresh air and sunshine, and freedom.

About the author:

I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA in History and International Studies. I also received my MS in Library Science from Chapel Hill. I am currently Librarian I in charge of the Children's Dept. at the Main Library in Portsmouth, a position that I have held for over 12 years. I particularly enjoy preparing and presenting programs to young children and their parents both in the Library and the community. I have a crazy cat named Sophia and in my spare time, I read, cross-stitch, and listen to public radio.

Read about all the Spring Lyric finalists...