20150619 (social media)

Heavens to Murgatroyd, do more than Like

Use your words children. Don’t just point

To the cookie jar rub your tummy and smile

Me Like says so little. Maybe it’s better you applaud

Than throw rotten tomatoes but I’d love to know

What it was that you liked. I didn’t foist  

Diego Rivera upon you for you to say Nice

It was linked to a plea for nasty revolt 

Or is the whole point to say nothing

Hang on the fence and get by with the blandest 

Acknowledgement you think might fly

If I posted a picture of all six of us

Bent over forward pants at our knees

Mooning the camera directly 

Would Like be enough or Cute or How clever 

Even Who thought this up couldn’t cover 

Your revulsion admiration whatever

Use your words children. Say something

To really be there. Even the joggers who pass by

Plugs deep in their ears listening intently gasping for air

Can nod a greeting to my unheard hello

Then again maybe it’s me expecting too much

Affirmation recognition for all of my quirks

At a post office I ran there was an old guy

Who’d call every day he was lonely

He started with mail talk to justify calling

But you could tell he wanted response 

To his voice in his otherwise soundless 

House. Watching TV couldn’t do it

No matter how loudly he’d scream 

At the tube not one of them cared

No matter what vile things he’d call his mother

The emcee kept teasing contestants

Or waved his arm broadly to show what

Was behind Door Number Two

That’s why today you can’t call

A station directly. An answering bureau

Takes your query and says

They’ll get back to you shortly

Even if your call was to tell them 

Their roof is on fire 

They’ll get back to you shortly

So if it’s retirement loneliness 

Then forget all my fuss 

I’m content with my state

But if it’s because I aimed for your heart

Then shout Ya got me ya bastard 

Let me know I hit flesh

Use your words children 

Do more than Like

c. J.S.Manista, 2015