Replace Me

Our heat and a/c units,
Which are mounted on the wall,
Have remote controls for every room,
Which workers did install.

The living room, since larger,
Has another cool device
With a touch-screen, though the room’s remote
Would certainly suffice.

Still, we were told to use the screen
Instead of the remote 
To heat or cool that space and so,
We’ve listened to that note.

A tap relays the temperature 
Or lets us then adjust
The way we want the air to flow
And it has earned our trust…

Until we found the screen gone blank.
New batteries did yield 
A simple message, loud and clear -
“Replace me,” it revealed.

Imagine all our objects
With the power to command.
It feels like science fiction’s
Somehow gained the upper hand.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2024

Poem

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M  Avatar
October 7, 2024 at 9:19 PM
Great poem Ilene....at least "Replace Me" is straight forward and to the point....not do this and then do this etc aaahhhh! Technology is so confusing and time consuming when you find it challenging! Debx
Greenhough Avatar
October 7, 2024 at 7:57 PM
I am lost in this world of new gadgets. Thanks for this poem. Now I know I'm not alone.
Flood Avatar
October 7, 2024 at 3:37 PM
Enjoyed this, Ilene… but just how many touch screens do we need…. It’s gotta get confusing. I mean… I genuinely do (only occasionally, you understand) try unlocking by front door… with my car’s key fob… strangely, it never works.
Allison Avatar
October 7, 2024 at 3:19 PM
technology is taking over our lives in so many ways Ilene, its super scary and worrying for the future especially when AI takes over everything I read of a hotel i think it's in Japan where the reception is staffed by robots:-(hugs jan xx
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