angry keys

angry keys

 

 

the typewriter slid off the table of

contents

discontented

with the fingers

trying to assuage the pain

of heart

 

feeling used 

and wasted

on sentimentality

when uses could be more direct

and fruitful

 

like writing mad essays

on the state of the world

or some other significant pamphlet

promoting the silences

of verbal assaults

 

but poetry

self-deprecation

forlorn syllables

crying vowels

sympathy searching for empathy

 

all wasted

sentimentality

of wares

the typewriter slid off the table

of contents

before the pages were assigned

numbers

now people are just numbers

lists of the missing or dead

a head count

a body count

but no heart count

 

numbers, pages

content

 

the table is slick with

tears on varnish

 

we must wake

write poems to convince our typing

machines to stay

convince them

our words are worth rekindling

the strained relationship

 

 

 

 

erin-cilberto

10/29/24

Reviews

[Fabian G. Franklin]

The typewriter seems obstinate and depressed with overwrought anxieties. I'd opt for an I-pad with less emotional baggage and a more optimistic personality. (laughing) Interesting rant against the machine. I enjoyed the read. F.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Fabian. I get out of the baggage idea, probably true.
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob... the Meek shall inherit the Earth... it seems that our young people will be our embodiment of Poetry as they interpret metaphors as the Autumn Winds foretell the Wisdom of the Ages. Amen... Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I hope poetry can survive.

[Aarti Sriram]

I reread your poem to connect with what you are trying to hint. But fell in absolute love with what I could make out of it. It’s a fine piece of writing dear J. The poem reveals a sense of futility in modern writing and an emotional disconnect by reference that ‘the typewriter slid of the table’? The poem cries asking if trying to address real world issues or printing pamphlets will be worthy of writing instead of emotional outburst writes. Poems written empathetically is not seen as effective in this modern world which stresses on cold facts, statistical data and surveys. There seems to be such disconnect from the art of writing that resonates to our heart. Why the poem which can counter alienation and indifference seen in tdoay’s lives be irrelevant? ‘crying vowels and forlorn seem to indicate the poets frustration of writing without any clear direction. The mere head counts, likes and subscribe focussed contents and no compelling wtiting no heart in our modern communication..

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, often the heart is not seen...it disappears in the fray.
thank you for your kind review, Aarti,
j.

[duff]

There is a sense of madness when I read this. A direct tone throughout leading us somewhere unknown. I like the writing here.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, duff!

[light and ashes]

I feel like this says so much more than I even caught on,
but yes, these words are spot on,

"now people are just numbers
lists of the missing or dead
a head count
a body count
but no heart count,"
and how unfortunate and sad is that?

I feel this is one heavy write, jacob, and a heavy hitter, as well,
Nice job.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I appreciate you and your kind comments, light.
j.

[light and ashes]

you're very welcome.

[Glenda]

Hi Jacob, I was reading and saw this one and had to sign in to review, it's so unusual. The typewriter slid off the table of contents grabbed me. I love that.
Then the piece goes on to tell all the ways the typewriter has been driven obsolete in more ways than one.
I also wish we could be reading something the typewriter finds worthy of staying on the table.
Thanks for that.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for your kind review, Glendak,
j.

[emmajoygreen]

Do so-called writers - once writing with quill or quizotic endeavours.. treat their typewriters as weapons rather than tools? We hit the keys as if bullets many a time, hoping their meaning will touch, will mean something to someone somewhere. Perhaps? We use cushions to lean comfortably; we use pillows to invite sleep and sweet dreams. We use those means to an end yet typewriters as if enemies at time; they meant to aid intent yet often given the dark means to an ending with no point at all. Perhaps!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

God, maybe you are right, dear em....
maybe I have had no point at all in any of my writing...I just thought I did.
I think I will use my pillow now and invite sleep...as Hamlet said. "to sleep, perchance to dream, aye, there's the rub!"

[emmajoygreen]

You, sir, have more right than most in writing your words! For some time, you have showed what and how to write with great care, grace and intelligence. What I was trying to infer that words are written with what could be termed weapons...

Please accept my apology, I obviously mis-worded my thoughts. I slept but left my laptop on, now it's going to be yawning all day! Hope you slept soundly and wake with a smiling dawn..

[Lorry]

I like the plea to the past that this feels like, when words came easy and they didn't have to wait for a reason to form.
In my head it is playing like a dystopia novel of the future, where our "instruments of writing" can read our minds before they consider their participation of the number our lives have become, with no appeal process for misspelled unthoughts proclaims our guilt before the first word has been typed.
And just as I was going to ramble on for a while, moaning about something or other, would you believe the thought police have just shown up and told me I've been convicted and sentenced to 18 lifetimes without parole for reimaginating wordables, which is now a crime against humanity?
Now I'm wondering if I die next week, does that mean my corpse is still left to serve the 18 lifetimes?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you Lorry, and I don't think your corpse will have to serve more than 9 lifetimes.

read moreThank you Lorry, and I don't think your corpse will have to serve more than 9 lifetimes.

j.

[Thomas W Case]

Powerful writing. Great work.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Thomas,
j.