The World in Our Hand

Everywhere I look I see people staring at their hand

As though there was something important there to see.

They miss so much around them with their eyes so firmly fixed

I wonder how important it must be!

Maybe its some kind of window that looks out upon the world

With vistas grand that hold them oh so rapt

Or, maybe there's some monster that lurks there within their hand

That has their mind completely in a trap.

I suspect it is the latter if the truth were really known

As to why so many lose their self control

And focus on the shiny thing that lies within their hand

Even while they're on a quiet country stroll.

Cell Phone Ettiquette

One of the most annoying things
Is for a speaker to be interrupted
By a cellphone going off
In the middle of a presentation.

No, annoying isn't the proper word.
Rude would be a better description.
Sometimes I want to just walk over,
Grab the phone and stomp it to pieces.

Almost every program nowdays
Begins with the admonition
"Please turn all cell phones
And pagers to off or to silent."

And yet, they ring anyway.
No, they don't ring. They blare out
"The Imperial March" from Star Wars,
Or some other personal ringtone.

It's never a quiet ring.
It's always turned as loud as possible --
That's for old folks like me
Who need it turned up to hear it.

It just drives me crazy.
The phone rings,
The speaker pauses,
People look around --

Oops. I guess I forgot to turn mine off.....