Grandma The knife at her throat, The fear all consuming, She loosens the grip upon her clutched bag As he shoves her to the wall! He mutters, �Thanks Grandma!� And flees down the street! Her voice too hoarse to shout, �Stop that man!� As she slides down the wall, Her knees buckling beneath her, Her eyes plead a silent �Help me!� A tightness in her chest ... A weak breath ... �Does anybody care?� We fume, we spit! From our lounge room couch �That coward!� It�s another granny bashing. As the announcer moves on �Now sports ... � The youth feed on instant gratification For violence, hatred and speed! Unemployment is rising, they need something To supplement their dole pitterance. Because the government are forever taxing The young and the old, is it no wonder? This vicious circle keeps churning out The destruction of our system. We sit by ... As another one dies, On pension day ... � Elizabeth 1st June 1998 "Beating the Old - what�s wrong with the world today, with the youth beating up the elderly - it isn�t right. What are we teaching our children? I�ve noticed the newspapers are filled with granny bashings lately. One of the most horrific stories I�ve come across was about a grandson attacking his very own grandmother. Let�s not leave it to the schools to teach our young to respect their elders. Because this problem goes beyond the schoolyard. This problem is a responsibility we all share. In the family, church and community. We must be moved to instill morals and a healthy attitude of respect, understanding and patience for the elderly. Let�s teach our children not to fear age, as a defenceless time, but let�s give them the pride and dignity to grow old gracefully, through the self-esteem we bestow upon them in their youth. May the above poem move you to action..."