Times have Changed

“Times have changed,” my grandpa said Smoking his pipe by the fire Watching his son smoke cigarettes The newer, trendy desire My father laughed; then started to cough And echoed, “Times have changed, If I’d known as a kid what I know today I’d have thought myself deranged!” I watched them both with youthful eyes But ignored their wise advice For times had changed, who tried that stuff? But the new stuff, that was nice. “Times have changed,” my father said As he lay the hospital choking With cancer from the nicotine In the cigarettes he was smoking I wouldn’t know I died long before my father did I overdosed on the newer stuff That I tried as a kid But I leave this message for the kids I don’t know if I have Don’t do drugs if you want to know The kids you’ll someday have Ignore the kids out getting high Like my father, they’re deranged Stay up above the influence Remember, times have changed.