You'd think,
after all the
dismal disappointment,
emotional abandonment and
ending of endearments,
you'd learn.
That you'd discern
those silences to mean
feelings of pure apathy
and not a sense of mystery,
but merely what they really were:
a complete lack of concern.
But you grew up in the 1970s,
with a very cheery bunch of Bradys,
who lived on the other side
of your TV screen, in a land where
the grass was always shiny green.
Alas, how were you,
an impressionable, little girl to know,
that this wildly popular family show,
was not the best possible example
of reality's messy truths?
And thus,
once you'd witnessed
such idyllic scenes,
who would've dared to
spill the beans, and
burst your bubble
of happy dreams,
to save you from
your future wounds?
Ha!
Now,that would have been
sheer foolishness -
you'd have never surrendered
to such nonsense,
even if it was
plain as day,
as seen through your
rose coloured glasses.
Thanks for visiting!
Poppy
Written for
Susan's Mid Week Motif
~Foolishness~
at Poets United
Ha, Poppy....I remember the Brady Bunch. Now you have me feeling nostalgic. Smiles. Truly, wasn't that an idyllic show? Maybe not all bad, but certainly not realistic. Truly not easy, after such shows, to burst the bubble and say 'that's nothing like my reality.' There is something in each of us,I think, that wants us to believe......
ReplyDeleteHahaha! I am roaring by the end! Apparently many a parent though to break the foolish bubble was foolish! ANd yet it seems some of us developed creativity and mystery, and some remained that blob in front of the screen. I loved your recognition that:
ReplyDelete" those silences to mean
feelings of pure apathy
and not a sense of mystery,"
When we see fantasy instead of reality, we could well make a silk purse out of a sow's ear! See Sherry's poem if you have never heard that one!
Oh my gosh!! The Brady Brunch... :D It was my all time favorite show! Oh you brought back so many cherished memories through your wonderful poem..!!!
ReplyDeleteLoved it Poppy! :D
xoxo
Oh dear. My daughter used to love the Brady Bunch, as unrealistic as it was. But luckily her glasses were made of clear glass. Love this poem Poppy. Made me chuckle.
ReplyDeleteI probably needed those rose colored glasses, as I had way too much reality going on at my house back then, LOL. The wonder is hope survives at all, once we get a good look at what's really going on. Smiles. I enjoyed this!
ReplyDeleteA common complaint, I suspect.
ReplyDeleteHope can never be foolish, but believing what we hope for is the one and only truth... Lighthearted, but very profound. Good write!
ReplyDeleteEntertaining as the Brady Bunch was and many other programs were it was no more than a child's novel of fantasy and make believe. There was however hope that when grown up children's lives could be like that before realization set in!
ReplyDeletean enjoyable poem Poppy and also the comments :)
ReplyDeletea lilting poem that sparkles on the surface and has deep meaning below...
ReplyDeletelike a stream winding its way to its destination.
don't you know the brady bunch gave hope to all the little kids in 'combined' families! to me it's always been the 'mystique' of sunshiney happy california life. i STILL think of 'a california life' as something mystical and special somehow! despite reality.
your poem makes me think of all the novels we read and swoon over the tall dark silent hero...
then when we find one in real life... we think... WHY doesn't he TALK!!!! LOLOL. it happened to my neice.
my nephew is the 'silent' type. and she loved it at first. she's a chatter box! opposites still attract. :D
What an illuminating write...Tv can teach us much when perhaps those around us aren't able...why not believe the world can be happy! a little escapism can be the key to breaking free
ReplyDeleteWe read into things as we want them to be...
ReplyDeleteOr perhaps the Seavers (sic) the 90s take on the Bradys.
ReplyDeletekids today keep on sitiing before the idiot box and miss out on the lovely things of life like playing tennis!
ReplyDeleteThis brought a smile as we are often fooled my the media and TV believing all is wonderful and then we are hit by the realities of life which sometimes can be painful. You captured a great image in your words.
ReplyDeleteWe can dream and live a higher standard. I enjoyed this.
ReplyDeletePoppy,
ReplyDeleteI loved my childhood, generally; life seemed quite unremarkable, until in 1969 all hell broke lose in Belfast Northern Ireland..Foolishness destroyed so much in my life, of what you write about in your poem...Suddenly drifting into television worlds, seemed trivial..
Eileen
totally remembered those Brady's
ReplyDelete