The Influencer

Things You Told Me

 

A girl with far too many eyelashes was taking pictures of a corpse. She told me the damned thing wouldn't listen.

 

I've tried everything, she said, but he's not playing fair.

I came to the service, told everyone how much I liked it, and he's still so stiff...

 

She struggled to keep her balance as she crouched over the mouth, but the angles just weren't working for her anymore.

 

Reviews

[Eilis]

This makes me think of the future seen through a dark glass. Through a dark glass the blemishes can, partly, be hidden, but exposure is inevitable. At some point.

I couldn’t help but think of Instagram with this. The tone deaf way people can plow through the world with their desire for fame and fortune. Mostly not recognizing how their actions impact the bigger picture.

When the young begin questioning the wisdom and response of a corpse, you know you’ve turned a corner. And not a good one. Of course the corpse could be many things- maybe even the silent public itself in the face of the influencer’s need for validation.

It’s a chilling poem/idea. Kind of like a short story vignette, in a way. The future holds many surprises. Everyday I realize I never had the imagination to anticipate its coming. Good stuff here.

[Delmar Cooper]

I like this place, the Café, because all you have to do is click on a category and presto whatever you wrote is a , well pick a category , say poem perhaps. So, you chose to call this story a poem - good choice- poems are slippery to define, protean in nature.

[Neville]

that's the problem with balance, mouths just keep upsetting the angles and then they just fly away .... What an original and intriguing post this is Christoph... I shall be forced to read more at this rate...... Cheers, Neville

[Mark Tisdale]

That's more like it! This is specifically what I was referring to in my previous review. I have to work for it. I have an idea, but the title throws me off as I'm not at all well versed in the world of social media. The last line is a riot if I'm reading it right. Well done.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

great play on words..."he's still so stiff"

i don't see a literal corpse...i see a boyfriend who doesn't want to have any fun...always a drag...
can't just relax and enjoy life with her...
she is trying to kiss him into some kind of proof of life...
but her lips can't reach his heart.
j.

[Arms of Sleep]

I think I got it but why is she crouching over the mouth? I have friends like this if I'm right, people who think of the whole world as an extension to social medias. It's hard to feel a real connection to anyone when they're taking pictures and relationships are second place...

[NotUsinganymore]

Seems like a dark poem, I enjoyed it. Kinda eerie. I've come across corpses and it's not a pretty or good smelling sight.

[Ase]

holy sh*t these are so sad.....at first its like you met these people on the bus from the psych ward but i think wait a minute all of these peopel are acting completely normal if you think about it.. so... holy sh*t these are so sad lol

[Christoph]

"Completely" normal could be a mild stretch. But normal might be relative.