The age of technology is well and truly upon us now. Whether we like it or not it is here to help, educate, communicate or in many cases, torment! With a plethora of titles and brief names to further confuse us, such as Internet, I Pad’s Lap tops, (some hopefuls confuse this with “Lap Dancing” although there could be some vague similarities I guess?), P Cs, Tablets, I Phones etc etc.
It is all a challenge and some (lucky, intellectuals or the very sad ?) sail though it all magnificently, whilst others have nothing to do with it all and hide from it in terror, but probably the worst group which unfortunately includes me to the fore, are those who have “some” understanding. Well I say loosely some understanding, but that in my case means I am slowly learning but am always rapidly overtaken by the frustrating awareness that the more knowledge I gain the less I actually seem to know! Almost like the now often quoted cult sentence from the ever popular show (aptly for this article or not ho ho?), Mastermind, “I have started, so I will ( often don’t know how to in my case) finish! In short I can succeed to a certain level then lose it, yes in whatever context you can imagine.
Right having probably confused the “Technology Plot” even further, but hopefully amused, I will introduce my first poem entitled “No Entry” from my second book “More Poetic Views of Life” and for me this poem says a lot on the technology subject!
No Entry
There’s a gremlin in my lap top
Who reads my every word,
And causes little glitches
Whilst I have hardly stirred.
It sits watching all my typing
So when the last word is near,
There is a flicker on the screen
And my work will all disappear.
Now any attempt to retrieve it
Makes gremlin laugh and scoff,
For each time I touch the panel
He turns the damn thing off!
Though I have a perfect signal
And connection speed is great,
Still my little Genie gremlin
Says my “save as” was too late.
Now my full battery sign is on
So all’s well, and off I go,
To try to get the work back
But my reaction time is slow.
So I need to start off thinking
What can this gremlin be?
But I have an uneasy feeling
It is all blooming down to me!
—
Yes,well those are some of the problems that I have encountered and I’m quite sure that other people may recognise similar annoying occurrences happening to them too! So just what is it about “Techno” that can drive us all wild with frustration?
Possibly it is the fact, and please allow the amusing contradiction in this, ho ho, that “Techno” has made our lives easier. A lot, lot easier in so many different ways from storing, understanding and finding information, making communication quicker and worldwide as well! Fantastic, until it goes wrong, you lose signal, get blocked , hacked and many other traumatic problems all exacerbated because of our now major involvement and reliance on it all!
Now though, I am going to touch on with this next poem MY, and and possibly MANY peoples pet hate! Passwords and denied entry to sites! Ok if they are “stored” though you shouldn’t, and heaven forbid “written down” but if you need to log in fresh perhaps this happens?
This poem is going in my “soon to be published” fourth book I will mention further a bit later, but this poem is called “Who Goes There?” Yes, you’ve got it!
Who Goes There?
Remembering passwords can be hard
And also a user name too,
Before gaining any access
On technology owned by you.
But you tap in with a confidence
The word needed to log in,
Though sadly it comes up “error”
For this battle you won’t win.
So you try again, so sure you’re right
By putting in your word name.
This will surely be the one
But the failure’s just the same.
“Forgotten your password?” flashes up
And through gritted teeth you hiss,
“No of blooming course not”
I just like playing this
Stupid and annoying game,
Before I can check my screen
And read all my information,
Though it looks like I’m too keen!
Change your password on here then
And all will be right for you,
But you will need to add your
User name, before this you do,
And successfully pass this test,
That’s now making you see red.
So you bash your keys in anger
And watch the screen go dead.
“Oh most holy gosh and bother”
You mutter under your breath,
Knowing that it’s all your fault
That caused the lap top’s death.
For it doesn’t want to respond
Whatever trick you try to use,
So it seems like poetic justice
If technology you abuse.
A journey to the repairers
Is now a trip you must make,
Confessing or not your guilt
You had more than you could take,
In dealing with requirements
Of all security names and text,
That you thought would be easy
But you forgot what came next.
So if there is an answer to all this
And to not look like a clown,
It’s to say bugger their advice
And write your passwords down!
—
Anyone identify with that poem? Probably quite a few I would guess but blooming annoying at the time!
So now I have nearly finished my little run down on technological problems and facilities, but will end with another poem on something that can be attached to many modern day communications as well, but is perhaps more to do with good old fashioned manners. You decide this as well, but as you will see I have my “poetic views”, thus poem called “Anybody There”? This poem is also new and to go in my soon to be published
fourth book, so previews abound in this article.
—
Anybody There?
Is there anybody out there?
Someone who can hear or see,
All those texts and messages
That were sent to you from me.
Oh, you thought they were statements
So there was no need to reply?
Even though I had asked questions
Like how was that and why?
But nothing came back from you
If that reason is to be believed.
And don’t you think it’s good manners
To acknowledge they were received?
Yes I know that you are busy
There’s not enough hours in the day.
But does it really take so long
To quickly reply back and say
Thanks for my communications
And you will say more later on?
For I am not clairvoyant
So must guess where you have gone.
But just ignore my protestations
For I know I’m not alone,
In making these observations
And I’m really sure you will atone.
Though of course I know for certain
That I will hear you loudly yelp,
And be inundated with your contacts
The moment you need my help!
—
So that is it then, my thoughts on technology and its effect on us, hopefully a bit amusing and tongue in cheek, but I would like to think accurate too.
Before I totally finish and go onto my regular mention of my books, I would like to add again that any of my book sales or “Personal Poem for You” service all ensure a donation to the worthy charity Help for Heroes, and as I mentioned in the article I have my fourth poetry book coming out this October, (all in two and a half years), so would be most grateful for any support in this.
I am on Amazon, but you can order my books or your personalised poem for birthdays, anniversaries & business etc through my email below. My fourth book is larger with 85 poems in my usual four sections, Romance, Humour, Reflection & Tragedy. The new book is entitled “Life Scenes in Verse” and published by My Voice Publishing.
Cheers, Laurie “The Psychy Poet”
All three of my books :–
Poetic Views of Life
MORE Poetic Views of Life &
Reviews of Life in Verse
Will ensure my donation to the excellent charity I support, promote and donate to, that being Help for Heroes and my books only priced £4. 99 each are all on sale at Amazon, or from me at …………….. lw1800@hotmail.co.uk Or 07967 355236
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