Growing Up Poem by Frieda Lumpkins

Raised up with seven brothers and sisters
We were poor, we never had the game twister
One thing we had, was a thing call, a spinning jenny
Our Dad made it for us kids, because there were so many

If we did not play on it., we were climbing trees
Oh and you can believe, there was a lot of skinned knees
I loved being a kid, and making our own games
Today's kids need to learn, to do the same

I miss being able to sit in my moms lap
She could take away the pain, or let me take a nap
With eight kids, there was always something to do
If it wasn't washing clothes, we were finding a lost shoe

We made our on fun, unlike kids today with a gun
Kids today have no idea how to make their own fun
We grew up way back in the woods
And this is how life for us stood

If we didn't catch it or ring its neck, we didn't eat
But a lot of times there wasn't any meat
Mom always found away to make sure we were not hungry
But then, it was back outside and up the trees

Kids now a days, are stuck, under their moms and dads
And when I think back, at what we had, it make me very sad
To know kids today, have to have their games and t.v.
What they need to do, is get out and scrap those knees

As we grew and ran and played
I would like to see more kids do that today
Oh believe me, we had our wants like any other
But we always could run to our mother

Mom showed us how to play some games
Kids today barely know their own names
How many of you remember Red Rover, Red Rover
Let Frieda come over

Those days were so much fun
And we didn't have to have a gun
Kids today say they have to have a smoke
Back where we came from, that would have been a joke

The smoke we had, came from a wood heater
There wasn't anything called, turn up the meter
Eight kids and Mom and Dad, hovering around that little stove
For today's kid's, that would be a show

Summer time came and we took our baths at the lake
Now Mom's and Dad's would say, oh for god sake
Oh, rub a dub dub, put their babies in the tub
All eight of us were being snubbed

All because there was so many of us
But till this day, we all have so much trust
One thing my daughter and son got from me
Is for there kid's to go out and climb a tree

Make a tent, from blankets and chair's
Don't just stand there and stare
Take a box and go play in it, make a train or a plane
And this is what keeps my kid's sane

I Miss being a kid, and playing with my brothers and sisters
Even though we never had that game twister


For my siblings-
Carla, Andy, Me, Tim, Thelma, Connie, Paula, Mike