Walking with friends, anti-social
phone clamped to your head,
radiation tumouring your brain.
The school-roof phone mast
electrosmogs the pupils
with headaches, insomnia, memory loss.
Mining coltan in the Congo
modern day slaves
(who will never see a mobile phone)
are forced to sacrifice gorillas
on the altar
of an alien god.
I'm reposting this poem from the earlier days of this blog, to coincide with the publication on Bolts of Silk of Cell Phone Mania by Michael Lee Johnson. I have never owned a mobile phone.
powerful!
ReplyDeleteYes very powerful...
ReplyDeletePeace Giggles
a poignant and powerful poem.
ReplyDelete"The school-roof phone mast
ReplyDeleteelectrosmogs the pupils
with headaches, insomnia, memory loss."
Thoughtful lines...
"radiation tumoring your brain" ought to get their attention! Nice job, very to the point.
ReplyDeleteReminds me how strange (and destructive) we are. Strong and effective.
ReplyDeleteAfter this effectively waspish attack I think I'll dump my mobile!
ReplyDeleteSo true! I've never owned one and never will. If anyone calls me while driving they know I'll hang up. :)
ReplyDeleteThe movie "Blood Diamond" was a big wake up call.
"Electrosmogs" is a great word. Did you invent it? This is a powerful piece!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments!
ReplyDeleteDick - life is so much better without a mobile - go for it - get rid of it!
Split Ends - I may have invented the word!
Love the juxtaposition. Nice. :)
ReplyDeleteYou made a really powerful statement here. It's just too bad the mobile had invaded and penetrated deeply into our everyday life to ever be discarded.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, excellent poem.
I love how you start right out with "friends" and "anti-social". Sets it right up. Not that you pull any punches :-)
ReplyDeleteReally great poem and a really powerful statement.
ReplyDeleteIt drives me mad when people are talking and texting while at social events, especially intimate dinners. And brain tumors are on the rise, too. Really powerful poem, Crafty -- well done.
ReplyDelete:)
I agree it's a powerful poem. Makes me feel guilty about my phone
ReplyDelete