In Pursuit of Poetry

March 8 - Roald Dahl - Television

March 8, 2018
Today we will toss in a little Roald Dahl, because one loves a lesson with a comical twist.

This poem is very long so I am including the first bit. The link below will give you the fullness of his message... and perhaps send you off to do more reading of your own.

Television

By Roald Dahl

The most important thing we've learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set --
Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotised by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink --
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK -- HE ONLY SEES!
'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say,
'But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!'
We'll answer this by asking you,
'What used the darling ones to do?
'How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?'
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:
THEY ... USED ... TO ... READ! They'd READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!

Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/television-by-roald-dahl

I have not read a lot of Roald Dahl, but I really love Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. The lessons he teaches within the framework of that story make me smile.

I am sure this poem could easily include video games now.

When I was a child, I watched too much television, particularly after my parents separated. At my Dad`s place I could play outside with my neighbour friend Sally, but in town I was stuck in an apartment. I think one of the best things my Mother did was ground me from watching the television after I had done something unsavory in her eyes. I thought I would 'teach' her and took up doing other things.... reading was one of those things.

Another lucky thing was that I lived in a small northern Ontario town - New Liskeard - and we did not have a lot of television channels to occupy our time.... and many stations went off the air after midnight. Now, with all the bombardment of 24/7 television, I think this poem is more relevant now than it was then. I fear children have lost a lot being stuck in front of televisions and video screens. I think it is important to get out and experience the world and other people... as well as read.

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