On Facebook,
there is a man
who has 1500 friends.
When he
counts his friends he has to use
everyone’s hands to do it.
Of the 1500 people this man calls friends
there are approximately 800
who he has met personally.
Of those 800,
he’s had more than passing conversations
with maybe 200.
Of those 200,
he’s had longer
and more confidential conversations
with perhaps 40.
Of those 40, there are perhaps 15
who are “friends”
in the sense of the word
that existed prior to the year 2006.
1500 friends —
800 he’s seen,
400 he’s spoken with in meatspace,
200 he’s connected with,
40 he would tell this story to,
15 who would agree with him
but for the fact
that they are vanishing.
The man one day
decides to read
a three volume unfinished novel
titled “A Man Without Qualities.”
He opens the first book,
closes it,
opens it again. He
is trying to understand
a book, three volumes long
and still unfinished
about a man
who is nothing but what
he is given to be by others.
The book will sit on his bedside table
unopened for long spells
as he talks to 1500 friends online.
If there is a Quality
to “friendship”
it shall be absorbed into
a cloud.
It shall be absorbed.
If he wants to speak
to those 15 vanished friends,
he will have to learn a new word
with which to summon them.
Tags: poems, poetry, meditations
Dark Matter 
February 11th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
Liking a lot of your poems lately.
Like turning things inside out to see what is what.
I keep thinking I will show up in Worcester or Providence sometime, but this winter has been wicked, and it has been hard to get moving. Am writing a lot and organizing poems into possible chapbooks. Did a fun feature at Hopkinton H-cam TV last month that stretched me a bit in a good way.
Anyways, as always, I enjoy the flow of poetry that is coming from you. 1500 people following your words is something to think about. Cathy
February 11th, 2011 at 5:20 pm
Thanks, Cathy. Good to hear from you and that things are still moving for you creatively. Hope our paths cross in person soon.
January 24th, 2011 at 10:09 am
This is a very interesting way of seeing things. I really like your poems. 🙂
January 24th, 2011 at 10:09 am
Thank you. I appreciate your reading them.
January 24th, 2011 at 10:14 am
You are most welcome, sir. 🙂
January 24th, 2011 at 10:17 am
Thanks again, and thank you for subscribing.
January 23rd, 2011 at 9:35 am
Very nice.
January 23rd, 2011 at 10:07 am
Thanks. Thinking a lot of how our online experiences shape our world view…