Consequenses

Prompt for: Sept 11, 2014 (me)
Subject or Theme: What Happened to R E S P E C T ?
Word(s) to Include: contempt, dark, explode(or any derivatives of these words)
Forbidden Word(s): brat, jerk, teen (or teenager), (or any derivatives of these words)
Additional Parameters: At least 16 lines Remember, do not use forbidden words ANYWHERE, including title or the brief description.

Consequences

I grew up in a world
without cell phones,
where I roamed until dark
with no fear.

The only contempt I encountered
was for those who dared
break the rules.
Dared; for one simply did not.
Get in trouble in town?
My folks would know before I got home
and I knew just punishment would await me.

So I was good.
Simple rule that
consequences followed choices:
good or bad.

Fireworks exploded:
not parents, or children or bombs.
I was taught to be responsible
for me, for the choices I made:
there was no assigning blame elsewhere.

I don't know when
or why
that changed.
I wish it hadn't.

For now
we all pay
the consequences.