cyberworld Archives - Writers International Edition

CYBERWORLD: Poem by Irene Doura-Kavadia

Towards the end […] it’s like towards the end of a masked ball, when the masks are removed. You can now see who those with whom you came into contact [ … ] actually were. For the characters have (finally) revealed themselves, the deeds have borne their fruit, […] and all delusions have crumbled…
A. Schopenhauer

A fancy, shiny new world
Stretches right before your eyes
Picture, colour, enticing word
A brand new reality luring
Out loud for you to enter, cries,
With the bright shiny smile
of a toothpaste commercial star
constantly with attractions pouring
draws you along to travel far

God, it looks so enticing!
Undeniably, unchartered waters
For all the globe’s seafarers
-Amateurs and experienced alike-
Always prove utterly inviting
For you to cross all borders
And reach out for the spike

With a bright shiny flashing smile,
Skillfully pulling the wool over your eyes,
There stretches out all-hiding cyber vile
And sweet reality soon turns into hideous lies
As virtual truth no real virtue bears
And when the going gets really tough
Only the tough ones shall get going

While the rest, all graces and airs,
perform behind a foggy curtain
the tantalizing seven veils’ dance
of Salome, the utter femme fatale,
and meeting their demands ends up in death most certain;
and they can equally be a female’s or a man’s
leading inevitably to heartbreaking results

A fancy, shiny, stardust-sprinkled world
Stretches right before your eyes.
Beware! It won’t be long before
The veil drops, rearing Medusa’s ugly head
That venomously turns it all into icy stone
Or to a hellish devouring fire, scarlet red,
Till even your last breath’s tear dries.

Thus, do not wonder, dear, do not cry
Don’t even dare to ask how or why;
The fact is obviously evident yet wry
-as at times willingly by most overlooked-
That for reality there is absolutely
no possible substitute, even when rough,
difficult, harsh, or undoubtedly tough.
So, listen to my sound advice and not ever try;
better prove wise and not get hooked!