Unsocial Media Poem by Susan Lacovara

I am a fan
of a handshake
in person...
With a person
whose face
I see
Who sees me...
Naked, without earbuds,
Fingers free to wave
Texting can wait a moment...
I've grown numb
From the restlessness
of having to reschedule time
To make face time
Connecting to cyberspace
And the bullying ignorance
Of 'in-your-face-book'
I once thought, upon entering a room,
Easter morning, some springs ago...
How gentle a moment
Seeing them there, heads bowed
in a shared reflective prayer...
Only to realize, I was the one
Disconnected,
They were dialing, surfing, posting
As I, in the doorway, stood
Outside, their social circle
I am a fan
of a well written piece,
Clasped in my hands,
tangible, tactile..
A feel of truth
Factual, not fabricated
As much the media frenzied world
Projectile vomits, on daily command
Regurgitating snippets
in viral velocity,
indeed, of epidemic proportions...
No longer does an impatient lover
stand on guard, tethered, anxiously
to the anticipation
of hearing the phone ring
breathlessly answered,
with spoken hello...
Voice recognition...
I am a fan
of the evening news,
anchored by faces I grew up with
Who lend credibility,
And compassion,
To the late breaking details of stories
we hate to hear...played over and over
I care not, for the coffee table chatter
Of experts-in-the-field of finger pointing
Shoutfests of opinionated overstated nonsense
that plays like static over the airways
Of actuality and practicality
I am a fan of watercooler wishes,
for a sunny weekend...
Cozy corner cafes, where the news of the day
Strikes up real live conversation
As you can see the dialect of one's eyes
Lifted, from the blue light of their phone