My Family of laptops
In my family of laptops
No member has a face
I often just see rectangles
Sitting in their place
On a very busy news day
They speak in “mmms” and “aahs”
They look at clips on You Tube
And snort out “ha ha ha”s.
I try to get attention
When I need a little help
But all I see is laptop heads
So I do my maths myself
At dinner time the laptop heads
Return to normal size
Instead they stare at smaller screens
Resting on their thighs
Once in a while they show me
What they are looking at
Often it’s a video
Of a dancing cat
Sometimes it’s a panda
Eating some bamboo
Or once there was a photograph
Of Cathy at the zoo
It isn’t that I mind you see
A little look online
I just mind it very much
When it’s all the flipping time
So I’ve devised a plan you know
To change things up a bit
I’ve hidden all their chargers
That might just help them quit
And as they’re searching round the house
I’ll pretend to help them too
But secretly I’ll find their phones
And flush them down the loo
I’ll hide away their laptops
In the garden shed
Then perhaps they will play
Monopoly instead
Dear readers think about it
When you next pick up your phone
Is your child trying to play
Scrabble on their own?
Put down the electronic thing
Give tweeting a little rest
Don’t update your status
Just play with the little pest
If you don’t then one day
Don’t be surprised to see
Your laptop mysteriously
Hanging from a tree
Just take this as a warning
This window is quite small
We want to play with you right now
One day we won’t at all
Then you can find your laptop
Your IPad and your phone
And surf to all your hearts content
Sitting on your own
For now get down and interact
Make cakes and hats and cards
Or you might find reflection
Is really rather hard.
Just play and they’ll remember
And think fondly of all that
It’s rather more important
Than a dancing cat.
Bean Rambling 