The Creature

[edsiejka]

The Creature
by Edmund Siejka


In every home and office
An innocuous thing sits on a desk top
Its blank face
Waiting
As anxious fingers
Tap commands
Connecting us
To the web.

The genie tells us
Everything and anything
Answers all our questions
Keeps us amused when we are bored
Saves us from being lonely
Takes us to places we want to see
Allows us to make friends
Without the messy needs of real friendship.


The genie
Also allows us to connect with complete strangers:
Charlatans,
Hackers and thieves,
Nigerian Princes,
And Russian ladies
Seeking wealthy companions.

We panic when the plastic genie crashes
Life without the computer suddenly becomes empty and unreal
A feeling worse than death.

In anger,
During a moment of supreme stupidity,
We throw a shoe at the screen
The sound of broken glass
The smell of burning wires
Fills the void.

In the eerie silence
The damaged computer remains cold and indifferent
Knowing
That in desperation
We will quickly buy another one.

[sasha]

oh, so much truth to this

too much, perhaps........

[saw]

humorous and poignant....well done