Anderson Freeman:
When Cowboys Were Kings
when cowboys were kings
a small black rider
pointed his toy pistol
at a world
surrogate TV fathers guns ablaze
rode gold and silver steeds
a child different from them watched
as they saved the world in episodes
a metal box shining with new color
walked with him to school
Lone Ranger exclaimed, “Hi-Ho, Silver”
Tonto, said, “Giddy-up, Scout”
a basement transformed into wilderness
a wooden rocker rides through it
wearing a black dime store mask
he folds his hat brim like in the comic books
knowing nothing about the bad guys yet to come
***
About the author:
Cugoano is a late bloomer to seriously writing poetry. He tends towards realism in his poetic style. His desire is to create a poetic legacy for his adult children and grandchildren. After achieving a doctorate in clinical psychology, he brings both his life experiences growing up in Detroit, Michigan (USA) and his perspective as a psychologist to his poetry.
Cugoano (AKA Anderson Freeman) lives in Chicago, Illinois USA
I like this poem a lot. How innocent we are and how fast that disappears…..
This is such a sensitive poem about how vulnerable and impressionable our young are.
Great poem, Cugoano. Captures childhood’s innocent creative spirit brilliantly.
Cugoano
Great poem. Your twist on the ending is powerful. I bet that lunch box would be worth something today if it was the original mint. Imagination rules in the heart of every child. It’s closer to knowing the inner self than the adult will ever know unless they are taken back to that place in time. My cowboy heros were Roy Rogers and Red Ryder.
Red Ryder was advertised with daisy Red Ryder B B guns. Started with Cracker Jack comics I think. Like Roy Rogers the storyline went into movies too. I even had a daisy air rifle back in the 1950’s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Ryder