Laura Breidenthal Poet Free verse

Captcha's Cruelty

HELP

The CAPTCHA took me by surprise tonight
Letters became ghouls in my mind’s eye
I listed them—
Noted them; words...begging, crying out for me

STAY

CAPTCHA was merely mocked
By millions of viewers on keyboards
I imagined all—
Tears began to fall

LOST

How may I help you, CAPTCHA?
Are you merely what they say?
Is there more—
Tell me, I pray

AAND

You bewilder my senses with your emptiness
The computer became my way to you
But all I could do—
Was imitate

CRYY 

I began to imagine someone stuck in CAPTCHA
A place where they harbored the weak
They took what they pleased—
Allowed them to speak

NNOW

Today it was happening and evermore
There was a reason I came to know
And now—
I want to know more

FOLL

I swallowed air and typed in the words
Feeling worthless and absurd
I began to believe—
There was more to this irrational dream

XOW3

The screen went black and then I was sure
I couldn’t doubt it anymore
The CAPTCHA wanted me—
The letters suddenly blurred and unseen

CAPTCHA
CAPTCHA
Let them go
CAPTCHA 
CAPTCHA
Full of woe
CAPTCHA
CAPTCHA
Take me now
CAPTCHA 
CAPTCHA
Tell me how to
CAPTCHA
CAPTCHA
Set them free
CAPTCHA
CAPTCHA
Knowing is free

Knowing is free

MMEE

For years I have copied your codes
Knowing you are there
Me—it’s me
Crying in the dark pit of despair

AAND

Though empty your words are to me
They are all I hear
All I fear—
In four letters on this electric trap

XXBX

What am I to do?
To follow would weary my soul
To save—
Would take its toll

FREE

What is this foreign word my dear?
Oh, how can you cut and paste it in my mind so clear?
Free—and then? 
Close your eyes and count to ten

The victims of the CAPTCHA remain a mystery to us all
Yet still we stare at the codes and merely imitate them
We are zombies staring our lives away
Trapped in CAPTCHA’s claws
Sad, deprived. . .
CAPTURED

I speak your language to stop this cruelty:

THEE 2TRUE TH78 IS9X BEF4 HOUR VERY EYES

Though we choose not to see
We choose not to fight
We choose only to IMITATE
We merely copy and paste

CRYY
CRYY
CRYY

GOOD
BAYE
BAYE
BAYE

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Stephen Kilmer October 8, 2013 at 8:28 PM This is amazing. Pure creativity at it's best. I love it. It made me smile on a blue Tuesday. Thank you Laura.~Kilmer

Rebecca Larkin August 13, 2013 at 3:33 AM I really like this one. It reminds me of the time I was texting you over the internet and had to put in captchas and it had similar ones like this. (HELP a much reoccurring one) and we kindah thought a lil' mini story hehe :) Anyhow; excellent write. YOu are brilliant ~Becca

Andrea Dietrich August 9, 2013 at 7:38 AM so you didn't know about the contest I see. Don't worry, very few of us made the winner list, but it was sure interesting to see the many cute entries as they were being posted!

Duke Beaufort July 21, 2013 at 9:41 AM This is well done. A little scary because it gives the feeling you are a poet going crazy. Since I have some idea of who you are by your writing, I think this is very funny!

... Gigno July 20, 2013 at 9:48 PM !!! Laura Breidenthal July 20, 2013 at 10:09 PM (: *hug* ~Laura

Andrea Dietrich July 20, 2013 at 2:08 PM VEry interesting stuff. Captchas can sure read in funny ways!! Are you entering the acrostic contest with an acrostic version of a Captcha? Laura Breidenthal July 20, 2013 at 10:08 PM I hadn't a clue there was one till you mentioned it. Hm...I dunno. Maybe.. ^^

Poet Destroyer A July 19, 2013 at 8:40 PM hey this one reads JAMX ????? Laura Breidenthal July 19, 2013 at 8:45 PM Keep Jammin' PD... thanks for your visit. *hug* ~Laura

Poet Destroyer A July 19, 2013 at 8:38 PM lol. Laura, you should read a few of my captcha's.. sometimes I feel as if the soup is spying on me... in most of the patterns I get... PD_ _ lol... or crazy words... thanks for the hi...LINDA Laura Breidenthal July 19, 2013 at 9:01 PM The soup loves you PD! You are incredible. The only thing to fear is some loving you a bit TOO much. ;) ~Laura

David Scott July 19, 2013 at 3:57 PM you give good insight and have great expression also thanks for your kind words on mine back on soup next week hope you well xxx davidscott Laura Breidenthal July 19, 2013 at 9:00 PM Enjoyed reading your poem today, David. I appreciate your review. ~Laura

Poet Tacito July 19, 2013 at 7:44 AM YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! A poem about that silly "CAPTCHA" was inevitable. DAMN did you do this some justice! The beauty of technology & its "security", eh? =) Laura Breidenthal July 19, 2013 at 8:57 PM Thanks Drake. I admire your enthusiasm. (: You are very sweet. Technology can make one quite paranoid. Of course, there is an infinite greatness to it as well. ~Laura