I turn into Gollum when I can't find my phone.
"Where is it?
Where has it gone?
The precious is lost!"
I get freaky like Frodo.
Seriously, I'm only half kidding.
It's pathetic how powerless I am
when my phone is out of my sight.
A panic comes over me when it isn't in my hand,
in my pocket or on my nightstand.
I can barely think,
can barely breathe.
It's even more ridiculous how relieved I am
when I eventually find it.
It's pitiful how powerful
this device's vise is on my mind.
It reminds me to think sometimes,
then causes me not to.
I rely on my phone to make me invisible
in waiting rooms & on buses.
(Isn't it ironic how a device with so many connecting capabilities
can inevitably leave one feeling so disconnected?)
I'm attached;
without it, I'm lacking, I feel naked.
This is definitely an obsession I must confront.
If I don't establish some degree of moderation,
I honestly believe this touch screen will leave me out of touch with reality.
I'll be blind to the world beyond my news feed
& deaf to the people within my vicinity.
But, you know, I can't lie...
I know I can't let it go.
I know what must be done,
but I also know this battle of dependency will never truly be won.
I must confront this obsession of mine... at some point in time.
The words of a procrastinating prophet always ring true.
- Sent from my iPhone
If you write and read poetry from your iPhone it is so much better than 99% of the other users.. I like the comparison to Frodo and Gollum..
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked the comparison, Bjorn, thanks for the comment.
DeleteHa, I can empathize! So many of us live in a connected society & find it difficult to be without our devices. It sounds as if you know what you 'should' do, but...hmmm...taking the step to do it is not easy!
ReplyDeleteNot easy indeed! Thanks for the comment, Mary.
DeleteThis is great and the sweetness of it sent from your phone even better. I have a picture of Gollum holding a Blackberry...lol. Also love the LOTR references.
ReplyDeleteYou do? That's awesome! I'm a huge LOTR fan, so I'm glad someone else could appreciate the references. Thanks for the comment, Dawn.
Deletethat last line of "sent from my iPhone" was a brilliant cap-off to a wonderful piece.
ReplyDeleteWe, of the baby boomer clan, rail against the majority of younger folks who grew up cutting their teeth on technology; older teachers hate the lack of eye contact in the classroom, younger instructors join the constant stimulation brigade; only the encyclopedia salesmen weep.
ReplyDeleteI can see why older generations have a hard time accepting the changes in society that come along with the advancement of technology. I'm a Generation Y'er & I have a hard time with it all at times!
DeleteWonderful! Especially the Last line. The form is good too. Great idea to do a poem on.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that! Thanks for the comment.
Deleteashamed to say I can relate... haha. ugh, powerful write.
ReplyDeleteLol hang in there, my friend. Good to hear from you, Anthony.
DeleteThis is so true for so many. I'll admit, I do like to have my phone, but don't go too crazy if I lose it. (Or maybe it's just that I never lose it?) Anyway, they say realizing you have a problem is half the battle, but in this case maybe it's only a small fraction. Love that final line. Peace, Linda
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading, Linda.
DeleteAnd you sent from your iPhone! I just enjoy that. Gollum, wonderful comparison. My precioussssss.....where is my preciousssss.....great idea to write a poem about.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by, Hayes.
DeleteMy cell phone is almost pointless to me. I have to remind myself to look at it. Perhaps the fact that I require reading glasses to read anything on that tiny screen. My computer is my weakness for addiction.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your poem. :)
I wish I could say the same!
Deleteha ha ....true for most of the people around.....you presented it well......what an irony.....
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Sreeja.
Deletehahah... just today i saw a comic with all kinds of phone addictions.. it is frightening at times how much we became dependent ... i sometimes switch it off on purpose and enjoy the offline world...smiles
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying my "unplugged" time more & more. Thanks for the comment, Claudia, good to hear from you.
DeleteI am happy to say that I am not so addicted, smiles ~ But I hear you on the addiction to techno gadget, I feel lost without my laptop and internet. I think we just need to be conscious of it, and turn it off or have time away from these techno gadgets, get unwired so to speak ~
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. Moderation is key. Thanks for stopping by, Grace.
DeleteI love the analogy of the Gollum's ring and the phone. Perfect! It really makes me thoughtful about the darker side of that extension of ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it & could take something away from it! Thanks for the comment, Colleen.
DeleteGood post, however, I really like finding the answer to a question at the time I have the question and not having to call a third party or stop by the library.
ReplyDeleteOh don't get me wrong, I love the convenience of modern technology! But too much of anything is a bad thing. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteConfronting your demons through poetry is a good start. I love the irony of "sent from my iPhone." Clever :) My smart phone is too my preciouuusss.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment!
DeleteYour cautions about a cell phone are great.
ReplyDelete"Centered Poems" are most unfavorite, however.
See here: https://yuanfields.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/centered-poems/
Much like the cell phone, they can trick us into thinking we are doing something that we aren't.
Smile !
I am glad you saw the simultaneous "spunky" and "serious" side of my poem. Thanx for reading.
I wasn't aware that "centered poems" bugged people that much! Thanks for bringing it to my attention, though. It's just a style thing that I picked up on, didn't even think it changed the way people read my poems. Again, thank you for the constructive criticism.
Delete:-)
ReplyDeleteIt really reads like some sort of addiction... and at the risk of instantly becoming the weirdo, I would tell you it can be different...
There can be a way in the middle between you using it too much and me not using it at all (seeing as I have no other phone than my land-line, and even that is mostly disconnected, lol).
Ha. For me, it's my iPad. I decided to take time outside each day without a device and time to read as well. The reference to Gollum made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea, although now I read all my books on my iPad (ah, I can't escape it!)
DeleteThanks for reading my poem, Mary, & I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Ah.. yes.. the tools.. the extension of humanity.. from abstract words.. to flint stones.. to spears.. guns.. cars.. and iPhone arms.. when tool become human OH MY GOD where does human go.. to be human.. anymore.. the lore of human becomes the tool of lore..:)
ReplyDeleteHmmm, interesting. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI really enjoyed this piece… Some years ago, I realized how dependent I was on my phone. I could barely walked from my office to the elevator without checking the whether or my email or … I had to go through self-therapy to control the addiction. It is not gone but much better now. Hahaha!
ReplyDeleteHaha oh great, that's what I have to look forward to!
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reading.
Alex, this is really fantastic....very insightful and that final line is just brilliant!! On another note, I love your tagline: "Take a look, have a listen, to the lyrics of my mind." That is also very clever.
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you, I appreciate that!
DeleteGreat Poem! I like your style Alex... Of course I love Gollum! :) I'm John, btw. Missed dverse's deadline somehow. Thought I'd check out the wares anyway. Really like this one. I'll have to come back when I have more time and browse around...
ReplyDeleteNice to (virtually) meet you, John! I look forward to seeing your work here on d'Verse in the future. Thanks for the kind words.
DeleteI love the irony of it being sent by your phone.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting.
Glad you enjoyed it, Gail. Thank YOU.
DeleteNice title. True words. Well expressed!
ReplyDeleteMany hide thanks to their phone. They are in touch with people miles away, but not their immediate family near them!
Hope we all recognize & give real life a chance :)
Exactly! Thanks for the comment, Anita.
Deleteoriginal and current - nice
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
DeleteOh no a iphone anxiety...all of these new dysfunctions enter our midst! I really loved the beginning and the lightheartedness of the whole piece, wonderful write!
ReplyDeleteLol I know. Technology is supposed to alleviate our problems but it seems like it's only creating more. Ugh.
DeleteThanks for the kind comment, though! I appreciate it.
We are very much dependent on modern gadgets ... we may detest the smartphones, or the touchscreens, but can't imagine lives without them. However, we should also be aware of the people around us, and have a world beyond the virtual too.
ReplyDeleteVery well said, I completely agree. Thanks for the comment, Amrit. I look forward to reading more of your work.
DeleteIt can surely become an addiction as we are ever-increasingly dependent on our phones. Good to recognize, even better to make a change--though not easy to do. But as they say--nothing worth doing comes easy. Good writing, Alex...clever title and close, too.
ReplyDeleteWell, I've recognized the problem, now I just have to put my words into action... eventually. Haha. Thanks for the kind comment, Jennifer.
Deletestay put, that's how you show strength at times.
ReplyDeleteThanks?
Deleteeither way, we do survive....
ReplyDeletethanks for the vivid imagery.
powerful insights.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joseph, glad you could read into it.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletegood luck.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'm gonna need it!
Deletepowerful wordplay there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading my poem!
Deleteperfectly cool.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words, Catie!
Deletehandsome.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rachel.
Delete