Vira de Cell Phone

(No. 2 in the cycle "fados da corona")

by T.P. Wilkinson / February 14th, 2021

They say a viewer’s attention
doesn’t last an hour
A viewer’s attention
doesn’t notice power
Only when they’re frightened
do they think
they’ve been enlightened.

Cell phones will be phone cells
three smart things that they tell
rumors, gossip sordid and
news fabricated in Hell.

The West, so wild and free
Only the best shown on TV
Dancing, singing distraction
masks the scent of putrefaction.

(Note:  A vira is a traditional Portuguese dance melody. Here “Vira de Coimbra” sung by Jose Afonso)

No. 1 in the cycle “Fados de corona“

T.P. Wilkinson, Dr. rer. pol. writes, teaches History and English, directs theatre and coaches cricket between the cradles of Heine and Saramago. He is author of Unbecoming American: A War Memoir and also Church Clothes, Land, Mission and the End of Apartheid in South Africa. Read other articles by T.P..

This article was posted on Sunday, February 14th, 2021 at 8:02am and is filed under Poetry.