Me Versus Technology

© 1993 Wanda L. Harrell

As my youth has been replaced by middle age years,

I have replaced my old hurdles with brand new fears.

My youth held uncertainties of a different kind;

A page of long division really blew my mind.

Recitation of a poem required me to concentrate,

As did memorizing the capitols of the fifty states.

The language of Latin had its share of ups and downs,

But now, it’s computer language that makes me frown.

I’m so afraid that when I turn the computer off or on,

I might just damage or erase the RAM or the ROM.

I have tried desperately to keep in mind,

But no matter, I just cannot seem to find

A way to recall the difference between bit and byte,

So try as I might, the computer and I continue to fight.

If I could just learn to use computer BASIC,

It might help, but I think I really should face it,

Computer lingo just doesn’t take hold

Because this brain of mine is getting too old.

I do remember to handle disks with care,

Reasoning, that’s why they are called software.

When it comes to understanding anything about DOS,

I’ll be honest; I am at a complete and total loss.

Oh, I long for the days when a mouse was a mouse,

A little gray rodent you didn’t want in the house,

And when program referred to TV, radio or theatre,

Not some complicated computer data.

As I feign interest, as I am truthfully bored,

Yet cannot help but ponder the F# keys on my keyboard

And revel in old memories with delight and a smile,

The ones of the uncomplicated fears I had as a child.