Digital Dreaming

                          beloavaan

POETRY BLOGROLL

http://poetryblogroll.blogspot.com/2011/10/midnight-snack-005.html


DIGITAL DREAMING

In days gone by the little children

Gazed at picture-books.

They could tell an artist's work

By the artificial looks.

I never, for one moment, puzzled

Over illustrations;

They were, clearly, quite unreal,

Portraying situations

Which pretended to happen in Fairyland,

Or underneath the sea.

A line was very clearly drawn

Between them and reality.

Now, however, the fantasies

Seem like the genuine article;

The digitisation has progressed

To every little particle,

So that only an adult can, at once,

Recognise the sleight of hand;

We seem to have an era

Of reality on demand.

But I wonder about the children,

The ones of three or four,

Who gaze at videos and such,

Which most of them adore.

Take the picture up above;

It appears to speak the truth,

And I wonder how I'd have looked at it

If I'd seen it in my youth.

Would I have seen a photograph

Of somebody in mid-air

Held up by a bright bunch of balloons,

Seemingly dangling there?

And would I have thought it possible,

A delightful thing to do,

And would I have thought that, one day,

I'd like to do it too?

Imagination is wonderful,

To be encouraged in all,

But I worry about the children;

How do they see it all?

*

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BOY ON A BLUE SWING.

So many times when little boys are asked to give a smile,

They make a face, or bare their teeth or giggle all the while.

'Look natural!' we say to them, and they grimace even more,

Looking more unnatural than they ever did before!

But someone captured Harry when he was unaware,

Posing very naturally and gently swinging there.

I love this unposed photograph so I introduce to you

Harry, my little Grandson, my little Boy in Blue.

*

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PS

Our Probus choir entertained at a Retirement Centre today. It's brand new, having replaced one at which we used to sing in years gone by. It's called Scenic Lodge. It's all very modern and has glorious views but we all felt it was too enclosed, which we didn't much like! 

 This will give you some idea. I couldn't get outside to photograph the view!

 Alf Taylor sang as our soloist and here he is with Pam and Betty.

And here are Barbara and Jane hamming it up.