Speedfactory by Ro Garner

I can’t get through. The last message didn’t get through. Hopefully this one will get through. I am here waiting for you to wake up, please reply to this address.

Happiness is a liquid, misery is opaque.

The first e mail got returned, I’ll check again in twenty minutes.

I am sending words into space, via bandwidth, both hands on the key board

Eyes glued to the blue word tumble.

Words glide, echoes of lives lived, ancestors shared.

Someone is reaching back, grand father to grandfather,

to Puritans swearing on the Sabbath.

No wives, only sins,

hands in stocks.

I am waiting for you, please reply to this address. Will anyone out there understand?

You know, I work in a speed factory,

And we generally rely on you

To prune for us,

Poet of attention, reader.

I’m supposed to reply, I think, I still haven’t received anything from you yet. I am in an odd space, should we start again?

Perhaps poems should be written by hand.

The hand written poem would take time

To make the journey

Blot ink

Lick stamp

Walk to post.

Hello to neighbour

Bottle of milk on the return.

My message didn’t leave the Out box so trying again. This was returned, I’ll try again. Hopefully it gets through this time. Should we use the same words or what? What did Bernard say? Have you ever signed up for something you no longer want any part of?

The hand written poem takes time to make it’s journey, stamp lick, ink blot, walk to post, hello to neighbour, bottle of milk on the return.

I’m supposed to reply, is it 50 words or what? Bernard said 50 I think but I’ll go with what you want. Are these included in the word count? I am in an odd space. I cannot think of 50 words. Will it be all right? Here are forty nine, no, fifty no, fifty five, sorry.

The plastic microphone has become infinitely heavier in proportion with the responsibility. Contact the army. Do you want bananas? You’ve had bananas, don’t tell no lies. They strip mine what they read, skimming meaning off the top, leaving what might trouble buried deep.

I am desperate. What was the key word? After 45 minutes a new file came in (7 times, the same one.) Is there hope? The files are damaged and the codes have been distorted. Perhaps there is a way to delete the files and start again.

It seems transparently obvious that anyone can make a door invisible when he needs privacy. I am happy, I am a transparent liquid. You are opaque and you are breaking up. Find your door.

Something went wrong, it took 45 minutes again. You are breaking up, I can no longer receive you. Are you breaking our agreement?

The agreement was purely verbal. I am terminating my connection to you.

I am waiting for your reply. I am waiting for your reply. I am waiting for your reply.

Ro Garner