The sun beating down on the gray pebbles, bright
The futures of the children that play, creative
Coming up with games, adventurous
Jumping from the swings down the slide, playful
And happy in their secret safe haven, joyful
In their free time hidden from the pressure and responsibility to grow, sheltered
Separating work and play, fun
An illuminated structure lit up with the sounds of laughter, merry
Yet children due tend to grow

The sound of laughter tends to fade, desolate
Like a once joyous island standing alone, stranded
Away from the children that used to play, lonely
Too consumed with the work and pressure to return, overpowering
Their desire to return and play once more, lost
In their new technology to go back to something so simple yet happy, goodbye
To their childhood, hello
To a fast-paced never stopping adult world, yet
They are not there yet, a shadow of their young selves

The swings all rusty and run-down, used
The boards creaking and unstable, not sure
What will happen next, doubtful
Of the future once so bright and full of memories, ahead
The slide faces, sliding away from the good times
But each time the memories are but a sliver, unsteady
a new family begins with children, new beginning
for the dusty rusty structure, eager
as the children run across the grass and pebbles, happy
to begin in the journey again, life
a never ending cycle of growth and beginnings