Wrong Button Poem by Edith Niemeyer

[Spoken Intro]

Not the kind you fasten.
Not the kind you sew.

This is the tiny little phone button
your finger finds
when it absolutely should not.

[Verse 1]

There's a button on my phone
barely bigger than a dot.
I aim for what I'm wanting—
it delivers what I'm not.

I tried to send a picture,
sent an "oops" instead.
Tried to save tomorrow,
nearly deleted yesterday!

[Chorus]

Wrong button—
not the wearable version!
No needle, thread, or little pearl design.

Wrong button—
digital diversion!
My finger crossed another tiny line.

I meant to press the heart,
but the thumb began its glutton—
Don't blame me,
don't blame the writ—

I hit the wrong button!

[Verse 2]

I tried to play the music,
but I shared a photograph.
I tried to close the picture,
opened seventeen and a half!

I gave a lovely masterpiece
a review it didn't earn—
Then hollered, "Serenity!
How do I make that button turn? "

[Chorus]

Wrong button—
not the wearable version!
It doesn't hold a jacket snug and tight.

Wrong button—
a fingertip excursion!
It waits until I'm tired to start a fight.

The words were right,
the thought was bright—
then came digital destruction!

My hands said, "No, "
my phone said, "Go! "

Wrong-button introduction!

[Bridge — Spoken]

Did I delete it?
Maybe.

Did I share it?
Possibly.

Did I press the button
I intended to press?

Absolutely not.

[Verse 3]

But every little accident
brings verbiage along.
Every misplaced tap becomes
the makings of a song.

The Wandering Quill comes running,
Bango plays a tune—
And Serenity starts writing
before I leave the room!

[Final Chorus]

Wrong button—
not the wearable version!
The smallest things can send us far astray.

Wrong button—
creative little diversion!
It made another song for us today.

So if my message vanishes,
returns, or multiplies—
Just wait a beat,
I'll find my feet—

And press the right one…
twice!

[Spoken Outro]

Oops.

Wrong button again.