What Happened To Us??

What ever happened to the Innocence?? When children could turn on the T.V. without fear of what they'd see. When they could walk down the halls without plugging there ears When there were no violent word or actions, and no angry tears When there were no feelings of helplessness and no such thing as fear Back when drugs was a five letter word.. Back when hate and judgment were unheard of Back when kissing and holding hands was gross Back when we could feel safety in our own homes Back when kidnappers were just monsters in dreams And lieing and stealing only happened on screens Back when hearts could love and come out whole Back when drinks at parties didn't include alcohol Back when girls could accept themselves and there bodies Back when boys could cry without being teased by somebody Back when media and magazines didn't tell us who to be Back when having money for bills was a guarantee Back when songs on the radio weren't 50% bleeped Back when girls could wear skirts and not get hit on by creeps Back when Husbands and Wives would stay together forever Back when Families and Friendships stayed strong through whatever Back when Sex was a word only used by adults Back when girls didn't get pregnant at 16 years old Back when kids weren't abused, yelled at, or beaten Back when a girl could remeber the last time she'd eaten Back when make-up was used for your face not your bruises Back when in kids thoughts, suicide wasn't included Back when tobacco companies couldn't convince us Back when we could find strength and courage within us Back when no matter what we would stand for what's right Back when we wouldn't go down without a fight Back when even as teens our voices were heard Back when we weren't affected by other's words Back when we had our Innocence. . .

- Paige Lauren Young