Let’s be scientific, and look at hieroglyphics
They’re really just daft pictures on the wall
And now we have emojis on our phones
It’s all about encryption
Forget about the diction
When a smiley yellow face can say it all
It’s shorthand for the masses
We don’t need your English classes
And soon nobody will talk to you at all
Sitting silently in pubs
We can order our grub
Sending pictures to the waitress down the hall
If we fancy some great cutie
We take pictures of her bootie
And post it for all the world to see
We’re forgetting how to talk
In our new Egyptian walk
These Emoji are much mightier than the sword
We’re moving backwards to our future
Is this the end of culture?
It seems surely that the writings on the wall
Our tablets are electronic
The hedgehogs are blue and sonic
And all our friends live within the cloud
We really are the drones
Tapping on our mobile phones
In solitude, the silence never ends
So, go out and take a walk
Meet with friends and sit and TALK
Before A.I. sends us to our bitter end.
Get back your smiley face
Rejoin the human race
Make some memories to hang upon your wall.
Don’t just sit there on your bums
Twiddling with your thumbs
Go down to the beach, and do your own sand dance
It may just be you see
For generation Zee
Your very own EMotional last chance.
PJ.
© 2023
“Backwards” is a witty and insightful commentary on modern communication and our society’s regression to hieroglyphic-style expression through emojis. The poem cleverly draws parallels between ancient Egyptian pictographs and today’s digital communication, pointing out how we’ve come full circle – from complex language back to picture-based messaging. Through rhythmic verses, it explores how technology has paradoxically made us more isolated while seemingly more connected, with people “Sitting silently in pubs” and ordering food through pictures rather than speaking.
The poem concludes with a powerful call to action, urging readers to “Get back your smiley face” and “Rejoin the human race” – a poignant reminder to maintain real human connections in our increasingly digital world.
“Daftness and Other Afflictions” is a heartfelt collection of poems by Yorkshire-based poet Peter Watson that captures life’s quirks, struggles, and joys with remarkable honesty and wit. Writing from a very personal place, Watson crafts verses that are, in his own words, “relatable to the ordinary person,” making complex emotions and observations accessible through straightforward, authentic language.
If you enjoy poetry that speaks directly to everyday experiences while making you think, laugh, and occasionally tear up, you’ll find yourself at home in Watson’s world. His unique voice brings a refreshing perspective to both life’s profound moments and its delightful absurdities.
