Poem of the Day 09.16.08

social networks

you can go ahead and click me
friend me
and i’ll click you too
but let’s not get together over
a glass of wine.
let’s not share a meal, a walk
along the estuary,
or see the sunset over an old bridge.
this is nice, this 21st century friendship
because we are still friends
in this place.
this is the best friendship i’ve ever had.
go ahead and read my interests
and i’ll read yours.
i see you like both paganini
and springsteen.
we are an odd pair.
you’re favorite books and movies
are my favorite books and movies.
i’m so glad we’ll never have to
get together and discuss them.
have you seen the pictures i’ve posted yet?
i’ve looked at yours a lot.
sorry i look so bad in mine
but i’m getting older and grayer,
and i’m drunk now most of the time.
but you look good.
the same,
but like an aberration of the present.
and i’m so glad that you found me here
in cyberspace
on the world wide web
in this community where we sprout
like warts and spread like an ass rash,
where we leave it all out to dry
to no tangible end
while the real madmen and geniuses
do not have a face or a blog or an avatar
and most days they don’t answer the door
or pick up the telephone when it rings.