Boom

We thought you were called boomers because of how many of you came after the war

But it’s the sound of the bomb you dropped that left us so broken and poor

You were the last ones in the kitchen, and cleaned out the fridge

And we were left with avocados and toast, and you still called us cringe

You watched us struggle in a world that had changed, and as we grew into ourselves you called us deranged

You told us that with age came wisdom, and to respect our elders, no matter what

But that was a bridge too far for many of us with the hope you had cut

So we found happiness where we had seen it last, in the memories and things we loved in the past

Arrested development on a national scale

It almost seems you wanted us to fail

“So when are you planning on having kids?” You would say

“I want to look outside and see my grandkids play!”

Little did you know, that day wouldn’t come,

for long ago we marched to the beat of our drum

A cadence that cried creativity and kindness

In direct opposition to our own parents blindness

For ours was a fate that held no path of ease

Just tragedies and calamities as frequent as a breeze

We had no house to fill, no nest for our eggs

Yet you ask us to run when we don’t have our legs

You swing the cudgel of “back in my day!”

While ignoring completely that world went away

Stuck in our youth but forced to age,

We tried to read further but torn was the page.

We work harder and longer than generations before

Yet you say it’s our laziness making us poor

But can’t you see me? Mom and Dad?

I don’t have the opportunities that you have had.

Our world demands more and offers us less

We are doing our best in this miserable mess

Our worn hands reach for that next rung

But you won’t move or admit what you’ve done

And we had somewhat accepted our place

Letting go of these dreams too tiring to chase

We had thought the world would stay the same

But you and the others have changed the game

We pledged allegiance to those flags in our classes

See those colors shine through in the masses

We sat in front of that big glowing box

As Mr Roger’s taught us with talks

To love and respect and see what we share

That we’re all the same and not to be scared

Through Barney and Franklin and Sesame Street

We learned to care was not a hard feat

To understand and feel and avoid petty quarrels

We developed what you lack, a deep set of morals

For if you had them you wouldn’t protest

Us standing up against them with our full chest

You’d be right along side us, hand in hand

Fighting for freedom and decency on this stolen land

But worlds apart we remain

As you turn a blind eye to the cries of the slain

But we can’t do that, and we’re actually amazed

That you don’t understand, it’s how we were raised

And as time moves forward, and age takes its toll

There’s still time for you to save your soul

So with us or against, it doesn’t matter much

You may still believe it’s us who’s out of touch

But this fight has begun, and we won’t be backing down

Because my dad taught me to square my shoulders, keep both feet on the ground

There’s nothing left for us back the way we came

We won’t be silent nor hang our head in shame

Maybe one day you’ll see what we do

A world worth if fighting for that’s bigger than you

It’s bigger than me or any one person

A compassionate world, a much better version

And we’ll make sure, when this is all over

There’s still some good in this world for the youth to uncover

The sound of the boom from so long ago

Doesn’t have much further to go

So be who you were, before all of this

Or bid farewell, to your grownup kids.

It’s never too late to set things right

You taught me that, anyway, goodnight.