1-4 HappinessVille

BC Williams Wed Jan 04 2012, 09:30

Don't know about all of you, but sometimes, when things in our present world look kind of over the top . . . I catch myself day dreaming about bygone times. I'm a product of the 1950's. I was raised with a few values and ideals that to some seem old fashioned. But I still consider we had it better 'back then':-)

For this first prompt of 2012, write a poem or short story about your idea of HappinessVille. Though it all might seem a bit naive now, many of us enjoyed our years growing up in the 1950's and 60's. Things were definitely slower paced. You had plenty of time to think and make sound choices. Show us what made, (or makes) you happy!

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BC Williams Wed Jan 04 2012, 09:48

.............................HappinessVille

............Where memories dance and pictures whirl
............where the underdog gets a chance at the girl
............where people just smile for no reason at all
............where sickness is short, and health is tall

............Where bygones get shuffled to a shelf to rot
............where good men thrive, and wicked men not
............where winter's not burdening to the young or old
............where summer's are pretty and kids can play bold

............Where Harry Truman would have loved to live
............where folks share necessities and quickly forgive
............where 'Do unto others' means always play fair
............where harsh uttered words are never shared

............Where grandpas and grandmas give great advice
............where mom/ pop parenting will surely suffice
............where children respect folks and try to be good
............where teachers are encouraged, not misunderstood

............Where 'your best' means you've tried, and failing's no crime
............where sticking right to it is best every time
............where service to others is not a bad thing
............where you might find your service keeps many in sync

............Where all good things haven't been outdated
............where your greatest times are always created
............where the rainbow meets your perfect perspective
............where your Happiness in life is the main objective

............ © August 2009 by BC Williams

Dori Wed Jan 04 2012, 12:14

Hey Bev, "HAPPINESS VILLE" huh, will let me get some much needed beauty sleep and while I do so, I'll try to come up with a poem for you...

peewee Wed Jan 04 2012, 14:19

Memories

Mum and dad and sunny days
Lots of friends old school plays

Things I did when I was young
Places I hid and songs I sung

Why should things have to change
Parts of our lives we rearrange

It’s all the same throughout the world
As we grow up our lives unfurled

Most of us have plans to make
Promises it seems we have to brake

We grow apart and then leave home
We take wrong turns end up alone

It seems an age so long ago
When I hear those songs on the radio

But now I’m old with pains in my knees
And nothing left but memories

© 2007 Pee Wee

Dori Wed Jan 04 2012, 16:26

AWESOME Peter Like

Sue McDonald Wed Jan 04 2012, 19:51

Ahhh Bev ..... Awesome !! Love it, such sincere writing, WELL DONE !!! give flowers

And well done Pete ! clapping

BC Williams Wed Jan 04 2012, 22:22

Well hello friends!

Pete, that about makes me cry:-) I've often said to older people that it seems that as we age, things SHOULD get easier. We all know this is not true for many. Could be partly mindset, but aches and pains don't help, lol. Thanks for sharing the poem with us.

Dori, I expect no less from you:-) Move it young lady! Write us a songy happy poem . ..

Susie, great seeing you and thanks. I think the poem was from one of Pete's prompts:-) Come on gal . . . what makes you happy?

RichieO Thu Jan 05 2012, 02:30

Well what a great start to the year, Bev and Pete your poems are absolutely fabulous, great reading from the both of you. This prompt is right up my street so I'll be thinking up some old story of old.
RichieO

Dori Thu Jan 05 2012, 11:08

I'll try for that songy poem this weekend Bev, I had a visit from MR. Insomia, only got about an hours sleep, THEN someone desided to knock on my back door about 5:00 this morning,the WORSE part is that I had to be to work at 6:30 this morning, so my poem writing is gone for the day.
But when it comes back, I be sure that she sits right down and writes you that songy poem.....have a great day everyone.

RichieO Fri Jan 06 2012, 15:41

Happy Days

We're off to see the briny sea
Us, the Famous Five.
All happy and joyous
For me to see the sea.

A trip for us upon a train
From Country town to
Weymouth bound
On a bright summer's day.

Local train of steam
Does puff its way
Though countryside
So green and serene.

Across the causeway
The train does steam
To reach the seaside town
of my dreams.

Weymouth, this coastal Town,
so real so sound.
Holds for me a happy time
Surrounded by laughter
and pleasure be found.

A walk to beach we go
With bucket and spades
And heartfelt joy has well.
Mums and Dads do pitch
their place upon this sandy beach.

Oh happy am I to be
By the sea of my dreams.
I listen intently to the Rolling sea
has the waves do break
Upon this beach I do but see.

Seagulls call upon the wind
As they fly upon a light sea breeze.
They swoop and dive and take
unguarded sandwich or two.

The sounds of laughter and joy
is heard all around.
Building of Sand castles
With ones bucket and spade.
And then a quick dip
into the rolling sea.

After a lunch of Fish n Chips
A very large cone all topped
with delightful ice cream.
And if we were lucky
it would be a ninety nine

Along the beach
there does but stand
A Theatre booth
coloured in red and white
Punch and Judy, a puppet show
A some what traditional sight.
While children sit around and stare
the voice Of Punch would say
“That’s the way to do it”
Has he clobbers the Constable with his stick.

I remember my childhood times gone by
Oh, being happy and free to roam around.
Long summer days where have they gone?
Only now stuck firmly in my memories mind.
Bring back those days so far gone to me
In my dreams of happiness for me to see.

© RichieO 2011

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BC Williams Fri Jan 06 2012, 16:58

Eeeeeek that's a pretty poem! And the pictures just make it alive Richie. I especially like this couplet:

Oh happy am I to be
By the sea of my dreams.

You know, that's all of what this prompt is about. Thanks seaboy:-)

Hugs to you, bev

peewee Fri Jan 06 2012, 17:59

Very good Rich

RichieO Sat Jan 07 2012, 17:37

Oh Weymouth

Oh Weymouth Town
By the sea your name
brings memories to me.

Oh along promenade
I do but stroll with me
Mum and Dad in tow.

I hear the sea rolling in
The waves they break
Upon the sandy shore

Out upon the sea I see
A fleet of Fishing ships
come sailing in

The seagulls fly frantically
Above these ships at sea
To catch the scrapes of fish
thrown into the sea.

Along the harbour quay
We walk, towards the dock
Where the boat ships stop

Sometimes I would see
An old Pannier tank,
shunting along the quay

Pulling the coaches from
Station to ship along
the street so passengers
can board their ship.

So Weymouth today
Has changed for me
No more of the days
I remembered well
But still a town I
Love to see being
By the sea.

© RichieO 2011

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peewee Tue Jan 10 2012, 16:37

Sometimes you will find
In the middle of the day
The thoughts in your head
Start to drift away

When everything around you
Are going totally wild
You start to think back
To when you were a child

Way back to a time
Long long ago
A life without TV
All you had was radio

Spent more time outside laying
Imagination running wild
I sometimes wish I could go back
When I was just a child

BC Williams Tue Jan 10 2012, 17:22

Rich, again - a picturesque poem of a favorite memory of yours! You're on a roll down by the sea:-) Good writing . . ..

Peter, I remember we weren't allowed to spent much time inside between breakfast and lunch, lol! Mom sent us outside a lot and we were content to make our own themes of play. A favorite thing was digging for worms! Mom was afraid we'd catch a snake, mistaking it for a worn . . .. Good writing Pete!

BC Williams Tue Jan 10 2012, 17:31

It was the 1950's, summertime, and two boys have a bubblegum duel . . .

1-4 HappinessVille Blow10

.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

I knew the moment our heads turned we'd seen this all before,
this lanky, swelled-head boy was here to level a score.
With pomade in one pocket and a fancy comb in the other,
the kid really was something, his pompadour grease smothered.

The other boy stood 4 foot 6, wearing glasses wire rimmed.
He wore a red headed crew cut he'd had just freshly trimmed.
Black Keds, short sleeved shirt, jeans with a wide rolled cuff -
the boy was not a ruffian, but then, he sure wasn't fluff.

Pompadour looked smug as he shot 'the crew' a thumb,
then Annie Moretti got between and handed them gum.
"There's two rules boys," she said, slinging a blondish fallen curl,
"I'll tell em to the both of you, before you give this a whorl . . .

No pushin', no shovin' - no touchin' to hurt - this is a rule.
That's the first one boys, no acting a fool.
Second rule is simple: may the best man win!
Ain't no room for vanity boys - for vanity's a sin."

The two got at it, slipping the slick wad between smacking lips
and started chewing the the bubble gum quick.
"The idea is to blow a bigger bubble than your head
and be the first one to do it!" the blondish curl said.

Pompadour pursed his pretty lips, chewing hard his cud.
He held his breath and chomped real fast and he looked like a silly lug!
The gum was tough, so he worked in spit and a swipe of hair pomade.
He was hoping he'd look 'better', so the crew would be afraid.

Now crew took a milder approach, more laid back and really keen -
he relaxed and crossed his arms as if he were a younger James Dean.
'Slow and steady wins the race', his daddy would often say,
so he used his tongue and teeth to push, and the toughness went away.

Pompadour began to blow, and blow with all his might
while crew held to it steady, making sure his gum was right.
Pomp got a doubled bubble blown nearly BIG as his massive head,
but then the thing just fell in two and laid on his chest quit dead.

Now crew might not be a big boy, and crew might not be as cool -
but there's one thing certain that you should know: crew had a special tool.
He's been a member of swim team for the best of the last two years,
and his lungs are better than most guys, so it's pomp who now should fear . . . .

Blow, blow, slowly blow - the crew's gum was like well kneaded dough,
and little Annie watched with starry eyes, so amazed her pupils glowed.
Pomp was furious, for he'd lost his girl - and he wanted a new wad of gum.
He had such a high opinion of himself, he demanded she give him some!

"I don't THINK so," she squealed! Then turned to see crew's head overshadowed
by the biggest gum bubble she'd every seen any one boy blow!
Then pomp cried, "It's not right! It's JUST not right - his head's not as big as mine!"
Well, it was hard for the pomp to realize that he was not going to win this time.

If he hadn't such a big head, he might have been a good competition for the crew.
But no, he believed he was much better and more capable, in his own vain view.
Somebody shoulda told that boy long ago, that to be like others is no disgrace -
and like the crew's daddy often said: "Slow and steady, my boy, wins the race . . . ."

© 10.24.2008 by BC Williams
(from a peewee prompt in 2008)

RichieO Wed Jan 11 2012, 04:27

Pete that's exactly how I feel sometimes remembering those forgotten days. At least we have memories and while we still have them we can drift back to those days when we were free from the burdens of life....! Nice writing Pete.

Bev, do I remember blowing bubbles with me bubble gum (not mistaken as chewing gum) stuffing at least 2 small blocks into one's mouth and trying to blow the biggest bubble. However, most of the time the bubble would burst and would end up all over your face...lol.
I can still remember the name of one brand of bubble gum we used to buy....'Bazooka'
Great writing Bev a real professional writer.

In 1928, Walter Diemer, an accountant for the Fleer Chewing Gum Company in Philadelphia, was experimenting with new gum recipes. One recipe was found to be less sticky than regular chewing gum, and stretched more easily. This gum became highly successful and was eventually named by the president of Fleer as Dubble Bubble. Original bubble gum was pink because that was the only dye Diemer had on hand at the time.

jinettyx Wed Jan 11 2012, 12:00

Excellent writings from all of you!!! I thoroughly enjoyed them all!!!
So sorry that I can't come up with any 'happy' memories like yours but keep 'em coming please!! xxxxx
Like a Star @ heaven

RichieO Wed Jan 11 2012, 14:07

Oh Jinetty, surely you can remember something from your past. You had two other sisters and a great Mum, gotta be time when you all had a great time?...

jinettyx Thu Jan 12 2012, 05:23

Er....no cant say that I do...Lol

Lucie Fri Jan 13 2012, 10:53

then u not thinking hard enough....

RichieO Fri Jan 13 2012, 17:43

You tell her Lucie.......

Teresa Jane Price Mon Jan 30 2012, 11:12

The path long, dirty and norrow
Carries me once again to times of good fellows,
When the ice cream dripped upon my shirt
And walking upon the beach had a mountain of worth.
From the priers and across the fields,
Cowboys and Indians were the deal.
Running neath the clouds,
Or watching the rain from inside the house,
Bought for me a joy, a smile.
Guess that is why I wish I was a child.

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