The Creature

The Creature by Edmund Siejka In every home and office An innocuous thing sits on a desk top Its blank face Waiting As anxious fingers Tap commands Connecting us To the web. The genie tells us Everything and anything Answers all our questions Keeps us amused when we are bored Saves us from being lonely Takes us to places we want to see Allows us to make friends Without the messy needs of real friendship. The genie Also allows us to connect with complete strangers: Charlatans, Hackers and thieves, Nigerian Princes, And Russian ladies Seeking wealthy companions. We panic when the plastic genie crashes Life without the computer suddenly becomes empty and unreal A feeling worse than death. In anger, During a moment of supreme stupidity, We throw a shoe at the screen The sound of broken glass The smell of burning wires Fills the void. In the eerie silence The damaged computer remains cold and indifferent Knowing That in desperation We will quickly buy another one.