Silent Screen
A message, not in a bottle,
but on a palm-sized screen,
sent off for an answer
which has not yet arrived.
Did it reach its destination?
Or was it blown off course
to float in an endless sea?
I wait for an hour,
then two, then four,
ears perked
for an electronic chime,
in a world where messages
whirl by the millions,
like waves
pounding the shore,
eroding the memory
of a question answered
with a human voice.
Copyright ©Jacqueline Jules, 2018
Jacqueline Jules is the author of three chapbooks, Field Trip to the Museum (Finishing Line Press), Stronger Than Cleopatra (ELJ Publications), and Itzhak Perlman’s Broken String, winner of the 2016 Helen Kay Chapbook Prize from Evening Street Press. Her poetry has appeared in over 100 publications including The Broome Review, Sow’s Ear Poetry Review, Hospital Drive, and Imitation Fruit. She is also the author of 40 books for young readers. Visit www.jacquelinejules.com.
30 for 30 is sponsored by Potomac Review
poignant and beautiful
Thank you so much, Grace!
Lovely poem.
Liked your poem, Jacqueline. It is a bit eerie to me. May I share it with a couple of fifth grade classes?
“…eroding the memory of a question answered with a human voice.” Perhaps the only thing sadder than a blank screen are no words uttered. Thanks for sharing.