do you watch your step
when using a cell phone or
texting while you are walking?
your enchanting voice
steals my attention and veils
pitfalls from my starry eyes.
when we talk, do you
switch your phone to speaker mode
or employ a hand-free kit?
i imagine you
in my arms as we slow dance
to a song that you whisper.
do you tempt peril
by using your cell phone while
it is plugged in and charging?
for you, i ignore
all threats to my wellbeing—
i’m like a moth to a flame.
after we say good
night and turn off the lights, do
you sleep away from your phone?
i lie in my bed
staring into the darkness,
waiting for your next message.
do you fight each day
with your kids to limit their
phone use to a minimum?
do not mimic me,
children, and wait slavishly
for a lover’s return call!
“The katauta is a Japanese poetic form that is actually considered an incomplete or half-poem. It’s a 3-liner that follows either 5-7-5 or more commonly 5-7-7 syllables per line. […] When paired together, multiple katautas act as a question and answer conversation between lovers to form sedoka.” –Robert Lee Brewer, Katauta: Poetic Form
opusculum 