Those 'How To...' Books Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

The ones who once sat,
With a giving of attention.
And listening to comprehend.
Had no problem,
When requesting to speak.
To do and get,
Respect to them given.

But those days have gone.
As well as a listening to comprehend.
Today people expect and get attention,
With a shouting that begins.
To leave nothing said to understand.
Or anything left to be understood.

And yet people are left to get upset,
When told they don't set good examples...
As parents or adults for their own children.
To show them even less respect,
Than the pets they teach to fetch...
Balls, bones and frisbees thrown,
To be returned back respectfully.
And then given to them a treat as a reward.

'You have them so well trained.
How do you manage to do that? '

~I began walking with them leashed.
And held on with a firm grip.
Then I began throwing to them twigs and sticks.
To then treat them with 'kibbles and bits'.
And they would sit to listen patiently.~

'Apparently this method has been successful.'

~Oh it is.
And when I got rid of those 'How To...' books,
Not a single problem do I have with my kids.~