I hated Romper Room when I was young.
Miss Nancy was as corny as a nurse –
so patronizing, with her baby tongue.
And later, Dick & Jane were even worse.
I saw through all the hand-on-kneecap bends.
I never fell for ads on the TV.
I don’t know why but I was wise to trends,
and PSA’s have rarely worked on me.

The kids I hang around with seem immune
as well, to lessons cloaked in cartoon guise.
They may cooperate a bit, but soon
I see resistant faces. No surprise,
except the situation is ignored
by grownups who forget how they were bored.