The end result of talking to someone who has their read receipts on is the nagging feeling that whatever you said was not worthy of a response.

Your message is just one of many unanswered notifications that when added together equal a red bubble on a screen that gets ignored and forgotten.

Regardless of the meaning behind it - you feel ignored and forgotten.

So why do you still try.

Each message you send is like an arrow shot with no ending destination hoping to land near something that resembles some sense of stability before shooter loses their balance.

Each moment between messages drags longer and longer while think, “please turn from delivered to read”

You know they’re just busy.

So you wait a few hours, no response in sight. So, like a fool, you cast out a new arrow, as if you have an endless supply.

And you watch within minutes their name hits the screen, because your existence is remembered. So you quickly respond as to hold their attention that you have been craving all day. But that’s all you are going to get.

Because as much as you want to think you are someone special

You’re just a blip. Nothing more than a name on a screen that just gets swiped away. Just a number in a little red bubble waiting to be remembered.

I've been staring at the word
"online"
under your contact name
for the past hour
its staring back at me
I'm desperately waiting for a reply
(nothing)
i let jealousy take me over
because I know you're texting her
instead of me.

Heads bowed
Respect is due
Mindless slaves of prayer
Fingers tap a dedicated chant
The sounds of life fade

Life itself fades

Necks bent
Forever craned
Eyes worship the light
Don’t look away from the light

Screen shattered
Gravel stained
3477 sacrifices per day

Three thousand
Four hundred
Seventy seven sacrifices
Per day

One tap for likes
Two taps for loves
Three taps for Rest In Peace

Picking up the pieces of
Windshield, heart and phone screen

Three thousand
Four hundred
Seventy seven sacrifices
Per day

Heads bowed
I’m sorry for your loss
Respect is due
A moment of silence for
You
Mindless slaves of prayer

Amen

dear atlas,

it's okay to text
twice in a row.

just thought
you should know.

love,
atlas

driving home to you
unfortunately I died
~ text said I love you


driving and texting
new car for graduation
~ hi guys guess what I'm


busy city streets
need to text spouse I'll be late
~ pedestrian hit


can't wait to see you
didn't see car stopped ahead
~ text never sent




© 2020 Mark Toney.  All rights reserved.

https://www.stoptextsstopwrecks.org

Apparently now
If you end a text message with a period
It means you’re *******
Because who needs a period
When each of your utterances
Is circumscribed
By a thought bubble

At least that’s what I heard
On a podcast
(I’m an old)

So if I text you
And use punctuation
Will you take offense?

Will you be able to tell
My old-school emojis
From that punctuation?

I certainly hope so :-/

I wait for your reply
I am a puppy dog
Seemingly naive to the time passing by
But the tick-tock rattles to my very teeth
Please undo the collar
Unbuckle my leash
I wag when you enter, cry when you leave
What else could you want from me?
I need attention
I want to run free
Or, you could give me some affection...
Just hit send
And that would put my suffering to an end

That message I sent
On a random cosy night
Laying in my bed
And you gave it a sight
From a single dm
To texting every day
Those Long WhatsApp VNs
Gosh we had so much to say
That was all we had
In this modern-day

Maybe I'll never forget
That wink emoji you sent
Nothing ever made me blush
And forget everything that I had to vent

Hugging you for that one last time
Pretending for a moment that you were mine
Life is quite strange these days
Technology holds the power to your smile in so many different ways

For you aren't around now yet
Each memory we shared stays
In my heart and amidst my gallery in a phase
Covering everything from where we ate to where we met

Sometimes I'll stare at the sky
Wondering what would make you smile
Asking my self just the reason why
Are you away from me, a thousand miles

Is this the fate of our lasting bond
one side breaks apart and another one responds
was it the situation or the distance at play
for us not texting each other throughout the day

Maybe expecting that notification is my definite mistake
for not everyone can live up to this false piece of cake
There's not a day where I don't think of you
not an effort gone by where I wish all this was still new

It's strange how quickly special turns to normal these days
what once meant the world to me is now just a blurry haze
Despite all this, I shall keep waiting each day
for you to be back in just the same way

Those Long WhatsApp VNs
Gosh we had so much to say
That was all we had
In this modern-day