From My Cardboard Box Archive: "American Eulogy" written in 1994, age 18

Note: This is the first installment, or perhaps the only (time will tell), of my revisiting old works. Then, as now, I write what I feel. The emotion is more important than precise language or structure (who needs iambic pentameter?) and sometimes it flows seamlessly from mind to page. Anyway, I'm not trying to pretend to be a good writer, but hopefully there are a few ideas here and there that are interesting.This also might show that morbid thought is not a particularly new form of expression for me!

"American Eulogy"

I've seen the death of youth
As I grew from childhood
Green countryside of innocence
A place time had never touched.

I've seen the death of youth
The death of my own soul
As our roads became streets
As television raped education.

I've seen the death of youth
As the thirst of demons grew
The love of experience
Left purity ashamed.

I've seen the death of youth
As the heroes thrust before me
Were troubled and lost
And only served to confuse.

I've seen the death of youth
As machines replaced my hands
As standards censored my ideas
And I knew I was naked.

I've seen the death of youth
Tabloids became news
Big-budget movie America
Talk-show living room.

I've seen the death of youth
As subculture became culture
As left wing became right until
Only argument was left.

I've seen the death of youth
As identity became ashamed
As rebellion masked conformity
And faith became a joke.

I've seen the death of youth
As bureaucracy became my father
And compliance became my mother
And I another number.

I've seen the death of youth
The death of Santa Claus and Jesus
The death of rebellion because
We have no clear enemies.

I've seen the death of youth
Baby-boomers refuse to let it go
And sociologists label me
To keep my mind pacified.

I've seen the death of life
All America held sacred
For the love of technology
Innocence is sacrificed   

I've seen the death of me and you
I've seen the death of youth.