"Forward Thinking" by John Reinhart

Forward Thinking

John Reinhart

Lakeside, old when I was young,

grows older still with my children

year after year

not yet tall enough for the Cyclone,

classy wooden coaster, Mattheus

dreams of buying the park

fix it up, new paint, etc.

& eliminate all height requirements,

despite his mother

who claims it's not to exclude

but about safety, to which 

a practical-minded Mattheus plans

to fit every visitor with a 

life jacket & parachute

to ensure safety in any scenario

Poet's Notes:  I have written about Lakeside Amusement Park in an earlier poem here http://www.songsoferetz.com/2016/02/poem-of-day-amusement-park-thrills-by.html. Whenever I read a poem about Lakeside, I start with some line about it being exciting because you might actually die. It's that kind of park. And it's great. I take my children back there every year. This last summer was the first year the older two were actually tall enough and interested in riding more than the carousel and a few kiddie land rides, though not tall enough for Mattheus's liking. We set a family record and only rode the carousel once. Maybe next year he'll be tall enough to ride the coasters...