"Remember the Typewriter" [by David Lehman]

Remember rotary phones?
What did we do back then
if we didn’t have a phone
and had to walk a mile
to get to the bus stop?
Remember telephone booths?
Remember when the question was
how many college kids can fit into one telephone booth?

Let’s say I wanted to get a message to you.
Do you remember what we used to do?

Remember the typewriter.
Remember the haiku
on the wine-stained menu.
Remember the answering machine.

Click here for the rest of "Remember the Typewriter", which was posted on The Common Online in May 1. 2013. Warm thanks to poetry editor John Hennessy.

Comments

[Denise Duhamel]

And remember pre answering machines? When the phone wound just ring and ring and ring? And writing poems on typewriters and using Wite-Out and then hoping to find a better word with the exact same number of letters so you wouldn't have to type the page over again? This is a great poem, David!!

[The Best American Poetry]

Thank you, Denise. -- DL

[jim c.]

Um, er, no, Denise, I never did that. I just--I've never heard of anyone doing that! It seems kind of, well, obsessional, if you know what I mean. Searching for a word with "the exact same number of letters" while the telephone rings and rings and rings? This could be a sign of severe depression, Denise. I'm not saying it is, but it could be. I'm glad you've reached out. And why is it called Wite-Out? Sounds a little iffy. What about Blak-Out, which used to happen regularly to me, especially when I drank too much while trying to overcome Writer's-Blok. (There's a product you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy! Or would.) Oh shoot, gotta run: someone is Face-Timing me. Remember Two-Timing? Good to talk! Great poem, David!

[The Best American Poetry]

Great comment! -- DL