ALWAYS CONNECTED Poem 32 #AnotherNewBeginning

#32

ALWAYS CONNECTED

 

Letters, addressed

Stamped and postmarked

Mailed

Delivered

Read

 

Telegrams, then air mail

Telephones and texting

Computers and skype

 

Instant contact through

Email smiley faces

Facebook games

Twitter characters

 

News first hand

Almost before it occurs

Births

Marriages

Careers

Instant karma in an electronic age

 

Where will the world be

When the lights go out?

 **********


T is for TELEGRAMS, TELEPHONES, then TEXTING

So often, we are reminded of the inadequacies of the various methods of communication. Begin with face-to-face communication, when the speaker’s words are in direct opposition to the facial expression or body language. We say, “No problem,” while our eyes squint at the person who knocked the cell phone out of our hand.

 

Telegrams delivered heartrending news during the wars, informing families of a loved one's death; or news of someone missing in action. But telegrams also announced good news, such as births. My father received a telegram in the army notifying him when I was born.

 

Now we have instant messaging, but the service is often no more reliable than telegrams or mail that was once sent on ships across the ocean. Emails are misinterpreted; text messages are "spell-checked" by computer to become unintelligible or downright comedic.

 

 

 

As much fun as it is to complain about poor service from companies such as Verizon or Microsoft, I wonder, with some trepidation, if we could ever successfully survive a full-grid power failure.

 

How could we fend for ourselves with no e-Reader, Wi-Fi, or iPhone to keep us connected?