#reality

By Brendan Dawson

PROMPT — Who am I today?

It's a little too new for me

seeing the message

at the bottom of my screen

asking to update my systems

with a couple of quick clicked

wizard installed extensions

but this isn't the life I'd like to leave

one with thumb print streaks

squished and smashed

in finger paint smudges

on smooth glass canvas

only to have it all swiped away

on the belly of a sweater

washed and rinsed

in bubble-free lather

from chemical water

and evaporative matter

because I’m not so sure

of the intention or

if we are kin or

whose been in or

what the sin is or

how I could get curious about

sound bites found

among like-button friends

hidden in the mega bits

in the fringes of the Internet

I feel like it's a trap

of currency coin bets

or artificial intelligence

or insta-chat-face-snap-tweet regrets

instead, I'd rather we put our feet in the grass

stain the scent of dirt into the cracks

of our knees and elbow

left exposed to the cold

forget about pixelated plates

leave the ate and the drank alone

in the shade of apple trees

while fermented dreams

swell in our stomachs

holding each other's hair as we vomit

then run our fingers through the sand

as it melts away the sugar on our hands

and spit acid to kick start the physical

releasing the training wheels of digital

whisper thoughts we've never posted

log off the world and leave them all ghosted

unwind cables

and unplug connectors

un-sync devices

and un-cancel vices

on mountainsides

to think deep thoughts

wonder whys

relax our minds

have a cry

at the pace of analogue time

slow down the speed of our gigas

dial up long-lost brothers and sisters

take an app nap

and enjoy the life

we were in such a hurry to run right past

the facts never impressed me

but our figures might just shake me

out of vanity

and away from insanity

it's the only way I see

I'll have a fighting chance

---

Brendan Dawson is an American born writer based in Italy. He writes from his observations and experiences while living, working, and traveling abroad. Currently, he is compiling a collection of poetry and short stories from his time in the military and experiences as an expat. Brendan writes from Como, Italy.