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Stop Using the Finger

I’m told the pen’s mighty and outwits the sword but my finger is stronger and won’t be ignored. It pokes and it swipes and it rants in a roast then it quickly DELETEs to disguise my last post. Though swords, they can cut, and pens, they can shame the press of a button initiates flame. All humor aside, I’ll admit it’s a crime when I set fire to gasoline, dressed up in rhyme. So, I’ll UPLOAD with caution and hold taut my lip and think before shooting my words from the hip… and I’ll walk-off responses so quick to offend, keeping fingers off buttons like RE-ply and SEND. Thanks

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Daniel Henry Rodgers

Date: 5/29/2025 5:56:00 AM

Hello Mark, Well it hits home, sharp, witty, and real. I laughed at your finger’s digital mischief, then nodded at the wisdom in your restraint. You capture our modern struggle with the urge to fire off words, then the wiser pause. Your humor disarms, but your honesty lingers. Sometimes the bravest act is holding back, letting silence speak louder than any swipe or send. Congrats on POTW! Spring Blessings, My Friend, Daniel

Mark Massey
Date: 5/29/2025 9:40:00 AM

Daniel, I know it pays to walk around the building before responding to a negative email or text. There are two advantages that apply to me, one is that its usually never that big of a deal and the second is that, due to age related factors, I will usually forget what I had intended to say in the first place. Thanks for the visit.

Karen Jones

Date: 5/26/2025 4:04:00 PM

lol entertaining and funny! Congratulations on potw!

Mark Massey
Date: 5/29/2025 9:34:00 AM

Thanks Karen

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 5/26/2025 12:45:00 PM

LOL! And the fickle finger of fate gave you POTW! Congrats!

Mark Massey
Date: 5/29/2025 9:34:00 AM

Thanks again, Kim

Panagiota Romios

Date: 5/26/2025 4:08:00 AM

Best to pass by any poem that offends you. Though with the huge number of poets here,some might inflame you or be chock full of untruths. But then, some News stations reek of lies, far more than poets, Your poem is awesome, congratulations. Live and love, dont let any garbage enter your soul. Hugs, Pangie))))

Mark Massey
Date: 5/26/2025 5:48:00 AM

Great advice for all…thanks for stopping by, Panagoita

Panagiota Romios
Date: 5/26/2025 4:13:00 AM

Also congratulations of having a book published, Fantastic !! Pangie

Beryl Edmonds

Date: 5/26/2025 1:13:00 AM

Mark, someone has pressed the button me, not on this site, someone close to home, not a relative, I’m in bits. Congratulations on your wonderful write receiving the honour of poem of the week… Beryl

Mark Massey
Date: 5/26/2025 5:59:00 AM

Sorry to hear that. Hopefully you find the inner strength to deal with it. We are more vulnerable when it comes from someone we trusted and/or loved. Also, too many social media sites make safe harbors for loose tongues, this one included. I love this site and all the people here even though some can be a little more agitating than others…like family. Thanks for the comment.

Daniel Caplin

Date: 5/25/2025 11:21:00 PM

A wonderful and clever write Mark, your words give pause for thought, our sensitivity can/does make us vulnerable, a pain/curse that only we feel and see. Words can be more damaging than any wound as they stay with us sometimes for a lifetime, whereas a wound in time will heal. Congratulations on POTW. Danny

Mark Massey
Date: 5/26/2025 6:04:00 AM

True, we need to be kind to one another. It’s best not to let the pain in one’s life bleed out in negativity towards others. Thanks for the visit, Danny.

Tania Kitchin

Date: 5/25/2025 7:14:00 PM

Mark, a great poem, we should all pause before we impulsively use our universal finger sign or our fingers to impulsively push send. Congratulations on POTW.

Mark Massey
Date: 5/25/2025 7:47:00 PM

Thank you, Tania

Brandy Nicole

Date: 5/25/2025 6:28:00 PM

' the press of a button initiates flame. ' So true, and the damage has been done, once those words are shared. Even though this holds humor, there's so much truth within. It's best to think before you speak, type and post for all to see. This is deep and powerful writing, Mark. Congratulations on Poem of the Week. My best to you. Hugs, Brandy

Mark Massey
Date: 5/25/2025 7:47:00 PM

Thanks Brandy

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 5/24/2025 7:59:00 AM

You’ve said this so well, Mark! We all use one finger or another to make our point! We must not tighten them into a fist. We fight them…fold them. Hugs! Fave!

Mark Massey
Date: 5/24/2025 9:38:00 AM

Poets, and writers in general, are extremely sensitive folks. When it does happen, we need to reflect, and know it’s mostly internal hurt that’s striking out. We are all seeking approval, but hang ourselves out there for critique…and sometimes it’s not what we expected nor wanted to hear. It’s ironic.

Sand Blown

Date: 5/23/2025 5:19:00 PM

your 'air-oars' row the poetic boat...... len

Mark Massey
Date: 5/24/2025 3:28:00 PM

Thanks for stopping by. I love the wit.

Tom Woody

Date: 5/23/2025 8:43:00 AM

Who knew you had such a great sense of humor? Hey, we're all prone to error. Still, we stay in the game. Write on...

Mark Massey
Date: 5/23/2025 3:32:00 PM

No chance it will sell, I don’t promote it. It was a personal quest, inspired by Craig Cornish. It’s listed at the lowest cost so I could have it in book form…my only cost is the base price of the book. I can also buy them cheap in bulk to give away. Any poet can put their collection together in book form. So easy to do on Kindle Direct.

Tom Woody
Date: 5/23/2025 12:32:00 PM

Hope they sell for you. Poetry books are hard sells to begin with and you're niche makes for a smaller audience yet. That having been said, it might appeal to vets and historians.

Mark Massey
Date: 5/23/2025 11:36:00 AM

Hey Tom, I’ll get off this high horse and back to my usual, shortly. But in response, I’m more the smarta** than comedian, but I appreciate your euphemism. I’m reminded of that by my wife so often that I’m fairly certain she’s right. Also, I doubt I’ll be posting the usual sonnets anytime soon (maybe, maybe not). I just completed my book and posted it on Amazon, “The Wars That Made Us”, It’s really three shorter books combined- all heroic crown of crowns - 633 original sonnets, took almost 7 yrs to complete. So, I may be done for a while. I’m still allowed to make edits so I’m reworking the heroic crown, “Normandy”. Thanks for stopping by today.