"I wonder how many of you have memorized important phone numbers?" asked Lorenzo.
"What happens when you forget your phone, or it goes dead with no way to charge? We have become so dependent on our technology. Here is a poem I wrote about a situation that happened to me a month ago.
Techno Orphan Annie
I learned what it means to be orphaned in a modern way,
When all my gadgets silently failed me that day.
I went to the café and the visit was sweet,
My friend was gracious, jovial, and full of upbeat.
We spoke of rhyme, of reason, of stars and of sky,
Never once did we mention where written treasons lie.
The hours drifted onward, dusk slipped into night,
He spun topics like silk — each theme woven tight.
The company was golden, the laughter precise,
He said we could solve all the world’s woes — and twice.
At last we agreed it was time to depart,
A sudden dread echoed like thunder in my heart.
I reached for my keys — but no keys could be found,
I’d have to seek rescue when I got back downtown.
Yet worse — in that moment — the shock hit like ice,
My phone had died — and I paid the full price.
“No trouble at all,” said my friend then and there,
“I’ll drive you home swiftly — we’ll slice through the air.”
We arrived at my building and took our farewell,
We said we should gather again — and often as well.
But stepping out — I realized the second cruel twist,
No fob for the door — another thing missed!
So there on the street I was stranded, alone,
An orphan of gadgets with no key — and no phone.
He said “No fear — I will solve this right quick!”
He searched up my partner — clever, resourceful, slick.
There were many with that same name — several, in fact,
But we hunted and dialed — persistence intact.
Down came my partner to see what was amiss,
And my friend drove away with a wave — like this.
A lesson was learned in that neon-lit night,
We are bound to our devices far more than feels right.
We think we are free — bold, autonomous — unlinked,
Yet modern life ties us tighter than we think."