The Casual Click

You meet someone online and start passing messages... a few clicks later and you can't pass your screen without checking your inbox...

 

We have not met

I don’t know your face

don’t know your smell

and yet

I know you so very well

 

If we passed on the street

there’d be no recognition

our eyes might meet

but just as quickly

look away

maybe a glimmer

of Déjà vu

a nagging thought

do I know you

something familiar I can’t place

for we have met

though not in the flesh

our minds have explored

hidden depths

we met online

 

Some scoff and question

how can you be sure

you won’t find an axe

murderer at your door

 

We have no need to meet

our relationship is

complete in being incomplete

a hotline, a direct connection

mind to mind

mutual introspection

no shyness, shame, just raw essence

barriers down

no defence

a nameless, faceless fantasy

to punctuate the boredom

routine, the unseen enemy

 

Our exchanges come in bite sized bursts

like co-writing a song

verse by verse

composition, execution

click the send button

insecurity til the absolution

and in this moment while we wait

relishing the gloriousness

of the anticipate

at the mercy of the system’s speed

awaiting the response

like a delayed action tease

delicious though this anticipation

it is accompanied

by a certain frustration

always a fine line it seems

between opposing

emotions, desires, needs

wondering, hoping

did I please

is the dance still on

do we still play the game

am I continuing to flirt with pain

 

I don’t recall the moment

that the casual click

became loaded with intent

I let you in

dropped my guard

you got under my skin

and I don’t know where it will end

but I thank you

for being my internet friend

 

Reviews

[Marquise]

We have no need to meet
Our relationship is
Complete in being incomplete

Whew... I love the intent and direction of the poem, but this very like just blew me away for so many different reasons. Nit only in the Online community is this true, but even in social communities where people could know one another though a common purpose, but it never goes passed that purpose and that whats makes it so complete. you did a very good job explaining online friendships. Its funny, i bet we all wonder whats happening on the other side of the screen....

[w. r.]

Good work. Never mind socializing with real people in the real world. Let's communicate with strangers online. Fun, fun, fun.

[Bhavya Kaushik]

This is such an amazing piece and damn true
awesome write!! :)

[PianoandPage]

i love love this. i can really relate as i met my fiance online and dated her for 3 months before we even actually met in person.

there are a lot of great lines here....

"Our exchanges come in bite sized bursts
like co-writing a song
verse by verse"

"I don't recall the moment
that the casual click
became loaded with intent
I let you in"

suggestion.

"and in this moment while we wait
relishing the gloriousness
of the anticipate" - i figured you wanted to ryhme "wait" and "anticipate" but it just sounds awkward. it would be so much better if you just put "anticipation". if you do use it though the repeat of "anticiation" just another few lines later seems repetitive.

other than that i absolutely loved this poem.

[R J Askew]

Congratulations on getting this poem taken up to be published! It still reads as well as it did four months ago!

[*^*my*beautiful*zelda*l..]

Holy crap this poem is amazing! The name really caught my eye, and then I read it. I can greatly relate to most parts. I have lots of friends online, and some of them say, "I wish we could meet; that would be so awesome!" but in the lines, "We have no need to meet. our relationship is complete in being incomplete" really catch a cord in my mind; man, that is so true, I cannot believe it! Also, the line about finding "an axe murderer at your door" is one more reason why I'm all the more careful online. Good write, hands down.

[Leticia Bailey]

An insightful poem. It's amazinig how the Internet has connected so many people who would have never met. I'm sure people reveal more about themselves to others online than with those they come into contact everyday. There's a mutual comfort in the anonymity. You expressed this well at the end:
"The moment I let you in
Dropped my guard
You got under my skin
And I don�t know where it will end
But I thank you
For being my internet friend"

Good luck on the contest!

[d]

This piece flows like a spring brook...love the subject matter...because of the hectic nature of my schedule it's hard to meet folks that I can have an intelligent connection with outside of work...the net helps in that search...great piece of writing!...and the hands go together for you April...Brava!

[Nathan Strange]

This was a brilliant piece that flowed well. I liked it alot. It makes me think of alot of people I've spoken to here on the website but I'd still like to meet so many the writers face to face.

[Silke Treibholz]

"Mind to mind", "no shyness, no shame", "barriers down" and "no defence" ... this is exactly like it feels for me, but there is still this "did I please" ... still a little imperfection in this great "complete incompleteness". :)

[Captain Blackheart (The..]

What can I say that the others haven't said already.....I have made some wonderful friends on here and on another site. Its a wonderful read April.....Thanks for writing it :)