Humanising Language Teaching
Year 5; Issue 3; May 03

Computer

Sophie Rinvolucri

Computer light
left shining in the little
study room long after
all have gone to bed at night,
silently churning up
mysterious bits of information,
swallowing words, feelings, emotions,
like a monster devours
creatures fed to him,
everlasting dragon who never dies,
computer, will you stop one day?

You are never asleep,
zigzagging through your screen,
you bother me in my sleep,
as if I could feel your invisible rays,
hurting me in my body, my mind;

Computer, please,
just shut yourself
down alone, leave the home
in peace, strange autonomous
creature which being
ruled by a master,
ends up by ruling
all………

[ editorial note: does the poet refer to a machine or to her spouse, as well?]