Strategic Deletions

He observes the whales daily
types whale love songs
into his computer
in hopes the barebreasted riders
of these gray creatures
will one day emerge.

Lush golden-maned maidens
described by the whales
inhabit his dreams,
obsess his days.

Curious at last,
one maiden arrives,
hair tangled with seaweed
breasts dripping seasalt,
kisses sweet as
the songs
he summonsed her by.

The accomplice computer cheers, until
jealous of his master's
overlingering caresses,
such blatant abandonment
of its own lonely keyboard,
throws up the blue screen of death,
frightening this dear maiden
back to the
whale-ridden deep.

Left numb, our hero drys off
climbs into chair,
mindlessly strokes
those cold stingy keys.

The computer smiles;
deletes all songs from its memory.

Pris Campbell
(c)2001
Music: Change

Return to Poetry Index
Return to Homepage