Hello!
I’m thrilled to be writing this post today because WEP (Write… Edit… Publish) is finally back after a not-so-brief break of nine months. Since October is the month of Halloween in some countries, our team is celebrating with a special event called ‘Horror Fest’ for our first comeback post.
What Scares You?
When I first considered writing this post, my immediate instinct was to recall the most terrifying tales from my collection. Being from a hill town, I have a story to share from practically every corner of the seven hills that encircle my city.
But, as the saying goes, truth is indeed stranger than fiction. In fact, I dare say that truth can be far more horrifying than anything we can imagine in the realms of fiction. When I take a look at the world around me, I can’t help but feel that it is a much scarier place to live in compared to the fictional worlds crafted within the pages of books. We are constantly surrounded by wars, disasters, climate crises, health scares, harassment, violence, online trolling, and mental health issues. It makes me wonder if any author out there is truly capable of constructing a world more terrifying than the one we currently inhabit. Today’s reality, scares me, and it seems to form the ideal setting for a truly chilling ‘Horror Fest’.
For this month’s WEP, I present a poem that delves into the horror of our screen-dominated lives. Even as the world shrinks inside a mobile phone, I cannot help but see the growing chasm that emerges inside our homes. It is strange that we build bridges to connect with strangers while we grow apart within our small circles. We are happier staring at our screens at home rather than cherishing the relationships we have. This trap is one of the most terrifying aspects of our times.
TRAPPED
in white, we bleak out yellow
suns, leave lonely lounge chairs
lull to sleep, abandoned book shelves.
Our doors shut out giggles
and whimpers, cold living rooms
no longer care.
We become homes ensnared in cyber space
Flashing
screens on dinner tables—
Excuse me, are you there?
an unmindful nod, a snoozed
conversation, snubbing and phubbing
pods in ears, our picnics robbed
of cool, lush meadows. We
strapped to chairs, our spines
long bent, the expanse
of the blue sky–720X1280–
day after day after day.
We become homes ensnared in cyber space
Unstrap
snap, cut, snap
escape whites, embrace
yellows, rebuild addas
for conversations. Unplug
look up, don’t phub
the hearth in the living room
waits… lest
We become homes ensnared in cyber space.
Tagline: HARROW-een : Ensnared in cyber space
(FCA: 431 words)
So, what scares you? Let me know in the comments section below and if you’d like to join the WEP October Fest, please link your entry to the post on the WEP WEBSITE
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A Hundred Quills 
Sonia, this was a wonderful poem and oh so very relatable.
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Thank you, Shail. Coming from you, I truly cherish this.
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The gift and the curse of technology. Beautifully written poem.
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This is so true, and yet so difficult to detach ourselves from the screen. I often think that we didn’t have any internet or even 24×7 television shows, and yet we never got bored. I am trying. Getting back to using a notebook and pen for my writing, to start with.
And it’s a wonderful composition! 🙂
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Beyond scary and so appropriate for today. Plus it was beautifully written.
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Hi Sonia – there seems to be a world of two types of humans – those that think and consider, those that just act … and I guess a third – who really have no choice … they need safety, food and water … you’ve described it perfectly … so many ways we can look at life now – but we do need that future. It’s worrying to put it mildly … excellent poem … cheers Hilary
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Thank you, Hilary. You’ve brought a new perspective to this.
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Duality is the flaw of technology. A great gift and a great burden
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First, I love your poem.
As for the wrong people, at the helm in so many countries – Politicians seem driven to promote confrontation and hatred.
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That’s how it appears. As if that’s the mantra to rule. Thank you.
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Exactly! seems like if it doesn’t happen in cyber space, it isn’t real to most people now. Even my own kids sometimes forget to just text me the birthday info, saying they posted it, why talk to me IRL. I worry that the baby’s born today won’t ever have real human interraction. Yes, that’s scary to me.
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It’s uncanny how we grow apart because of technology that is actually built to keep us connected. Thank you.
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I see this in my grandkids, enamoured by their screens, now sometimes hard to engage, yet I will keep trying. What will our world be in another 10 years? I can only cherish those moments we have with those we love. Your poem makes it very clear what we risk, what we may lose.
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Thank you, Beth. I can’t stop getting nostalgic for what we had a couple of years ago. Ten years later, I’m scared to think of it.
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Hi,
I love how you put meaning in the words you wrote. Sadly, we are moving in that direction, and there’s underlying humour in it all.
Shalom shalom
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True, Pat. Especially if you’ve seen the other side of the world, you feel more scared about the future. Thank you.
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What a hard-hitting poem, Sonia!
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Thank you, Rashmi. Truly appreciate your stopping by.
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Lost in cyberspace for sure. What I fear is the wake up call.
Wonderful poem!
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Thank you. Will it be too late?
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your poem is beautiful.
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Thanks Joylene!
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The hatred in our current political system scares me. A lot.
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True, Liz. We have the wrong people at the helm of affairs.
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That’s for sure.
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A powerful truth – ignored by too many. Thank you.
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Indeed. Thank you.
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