Phlip Arima is a Toronto-based poet with five books to his credit. His work has been adapted to video by Vision Television and stage by Neighbourhood Dance Works in conjunction with RCA Theatre.
In always now internet dynamic accumulate
status search engine priority glory tipping point
envy public ego introspection sophistry conflict age
by context emojis comments followers notoriety threats
foreign and intimate video pics patterning mind
frame by frame by pseudo fame denied shame
self-imposed solitary confinement mirror
mirror ghost and ghosted click to wait
for page response click to cancel
reboot.
*
When the screen flickers
each minuscule moment of darkness
leaves me alone in three-dee space too big
to navigate data dazed in reflected light jonesing
for a distraction no disconnected vibe can replace
too aware my thumbs ache neural-pathways colliding
self with self in self by self no links to click
a catatonic inner voice infinity and
nothingness nausea forever in
an instant never realized
possibly felt.
*
Tools of mass manipulation defined
by ones and zeros after the greatest currency sign
intercontinental thought missiles google control info
bombardment jargon replacement acronymization autonomy
assassination reduction of the average attention span limiting
vision manufacturing content for content manufacturers
brand and myth and conspiracy loyalists editing image
with strategic omissions promises bots cookies
malware insidious fear virtual imagined real
text texted and texting auto-obsoleting
global gossip help I’ve been dropped
and can’t get connected can’t share
a selfie can’t see the likes
to my existence.
