Pencils, Rubber Balls and Tricycles

Pencils, rubber balls and tricycles
what do these three have in common?
Each of them can be found on
any school playground.

When I went to school long ago
after the post war boom 
glory and jobs were plenty with lots of ideas 
we were proud to be American.

Pencils were a sign of a free education
everyone was learning to read and write
so much writing that every child
had a callus on the middle finger

and every number 2 pencil
could be sharpened right down to the nub
writing notes, and essays and reports
and on special occasions used a fountain pen.

Rubber Balls lasted forever, playing
four square, kickball, and dodge ball
that dark red ball could bounce so high
easy to catch and toss to the sky.

money was scarce so we were careful
never letting the ball go over the fence
making sure we got it down from the roof
and put it away safely for the next day.

Tricycles on the kindergarten playground
were easily pumped by a child
who went round and round, sturdy enough 
for a second one to ride on the step in back

Children followed the white painted trail 
waited in line, took turns

a standard toy in so many homes
the first step before getting a bike.

These were standard and trusted equipment at schools
but when a global economy transferred
manufacturing rights to countries overseas
the quality of each of these items diminished

becoming a metaphor for greater changes to arrive
pencils from China are now made of balsa wood
the point always breaking needing to be sharpened

and disappears before the end of the week.

rubber balls on the other hand
are made with less rubber only lasting
a few weeks before losing their shape
not good for bouncing and deflates too soon.

tricycles are facades of the real thing
they look the same but the psychomotor
element of muscle to machine are inaccurate
and kids can't really ride them anymore.