I wrote this poem around 2 am when I couldn't sleep about a month ago.
Loneliness is deadly, a toxic despair,
isolated, vulnerable , you no longer care.
Scraps of attention thrown your way,
briefly electrifying your monotonous day.
Once at the top, the slide you descend,
climbing back up to the world of pretend.
Facebook friends eagerly follow your feed,
blissfully unaware of your emotional need.
Showing silly videos, or a serious post,
diverting human contact - a social media ghost.
A meticulous selfie posted hours ago,
capturing a lost youthful radiant glow.
Binge watching Netflix, playing Candy Crush,
talking to yourself - an inaudible hush.
Telling yourself any vice is allowed,
an easy escape because your too proud.
YOU ARE READING
If Only Love
PoetryI wrote this poem in 1987 during the time of the Ethiopian famine. Last year I changed a couple lines, and this is my updated version. When I first wrote this poem I was only 18 years old and hadn't had children yet. Now after nursing 7 children, I...
