Community Corner
Reader Poem: A Wyckoff Kid
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I grew up “a Wyckoff kid,” as all of you on this page did
We’d spend the whole day riding bikes, climbing trees or taking hikes
- while on a major sugar rush from ice pops and an Orange Crush.
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Basketball and tennis courts, giant oaks for building forts
Hills and pastures where we’d play and bring our sleds on a winter’s day
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Farms with apple trees and pumpkins made us feel like country bumpkins
Streams for fishing, swimming wading - frozen ponds for great ice skating
Of our hometown we are quite fond so we all share a special bond
And each of us are well aware that we were blessed to grow up there
We’d often make the downtown scene for a “Blizzard” at the Dairy Queen
It was always fun to kill some time with a comic book from the five and dime
Run around in all the shops and aggravate the mom and pops
Inhale a helium balloon so your voice would sound like a cartoon
And right before you’d head for home, you’d check for coins at a public phone.
Pyrotechnics were the craze and the highlight of our summer days
Sneak out with a book of matches and hope like hell they didn’t catch us
Firecrackers popped and glimmered; flares and sparklers snapped & shimmered
An empty lot was where we’d meet....a cull-de-sac or dead end street
With cherry bombs deep in your pockets, set ablaze some bottle rockets!
The nearby neighbors were appalled. Eventually the cops were called.
Another favorite meeting spot was the carnival in the parking lot
Amusements for your satisfaction: rides arcades and lots of action
The freak show and the horror tent would always make for time well spent
Though not a large elaborate fair, you’d meet up with your best friends there
Spend your money where it counts; on the Himalaya and Bubble Bounce
Ride, rock out and hold on tight to “Jeremiah“ by Three Dog Night
But my fondest memories of all were those that happened every Fall
I do admit, I feel contrite from the pranks I pulled on “goosey night”
Where every escapade or caper involved some soap or toilet paper
On Halloween we’d trick-or-treat to every house on every street
A pillow case would come in handy to tote around 3 pounds of candy
You never had to look too hard to find a game in someone’s yard
You never scheduled time to play. A “play date” happened every day
We all have vivid memories from many fun-filled seasons
We all feel warm and fuzzy for completely different reasons
We all are varied ages and may live in different places
I cant pronounce some of your names or recognize your faces
But all of you, my [friends], knew the pleasures that I did
You grew up proud, you grew up right cause you were a Wyckoff kid!
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