Emily Hopkins

Dear iPhone

Dear iPhone,

Why are you always attached to me?

Or am I attached to you?

My thoughts trail off too easily,

and I blame you.

There are so many of you, yet no originality.

You’ve created a broken society.

Lost souls wander streets in almost complete darkness,

other than the faint glow of screens.

Why have you and your kind done this to us?

Is there something to be gained?

Small children are over exposed.

Seeing hate, violence, and dirty things.

I question why I ever wanted you.

But I now know the answer.

You are the norm, the need, the must.

The “if you don’t have this, you’re a loser”.

But now I want to say enough.

Enough of the distraction, heartache, and addiction.

From here on out I use you.

And I will never let you use me again.

I will protect my friends from all of you.

I will show them there’s more beyond your screen.

That our generation is beyond your crap.

And that’s a wrap.

Distracted

Sorry I didn’t hear what you said.

I can’t fall asleep in bed.

I missed what was said in class.

Where did the time pass?

I can’t stop looking at this.

Unaware of all I missed.

The screen keeps on lighting.

And I’m done with the fighting.

I’m caving into the notifications,

with all of their distractions.

My work is not getting done,

but Snapchat is so fun.

My phone is no excuse,

but I always have to have it in use.

Always right beside me.

Waiting to sidetrack me.

My attention span is shrinking.

My phone does most of the thinking.

I ignore the ones I love the most,

just to read a random post.

I’m sorry for not being there.

Even as I’m sitting right here.

Education and Technology

It started with learning the ABC’s,

but now it’s ABC123.com.

Bedtime stories were in physical books,

not reading to little ones by Kindle or Siri.

Kindergarteners used to learn to count with lima beans.

Instead they are playing counting games on iPads.

Cursive is a lost typography,

as cursors rule the educational system

Hands on learning is ruined,

as children’s’ hands are really just on screens.

Teachers are being replaced by TED Talks.

Textbooks replaced by iPads.

It went from chalkboards to whiteboards,

but now we have Smartboards.

Spelling tests got replaced by spellcheck.

And teachers by robots.

Not really,

But not so far fetched.