A Different Age

By Jabo
@jaboUK (64354)
United Kingdom
August 22, 2018 8:51am CST
Before computers were the rage, we lived in a more gentle age, debugging got fleas off your cat, a mouse was just a smallish rat. Our windows were to let in light, a spider sat on its website, online was where the washing's found offline - oh no - it's on the ground. We took a tablet for our pain and where we lived was our domain, a hard drive took us on our trips, and spam and cookies passed our lips. A hacker meant that someone's coughing, we did not know that lol meant laughing a site had building going on, to feed a fire you put a log on. We wrote by hand instead of emails, and trolls were just in fairy tales, a pop-up meant that Dad's awake a plug-in meant a bath we'd take. An ipad would protect our eyes and microchips were just small fries, when we went phishing you can bet we put our fishes internet. I originally wrote a version of this for Bubblews years ago, and have re-written it for here. Photo - flowers in my garden.
61 people like this
62 responses
@LadyDuck (470823)
• Switzerland
22 Aug 18
I am glad you re-published it Janet, because this is brilliant. How many things have changed, even our vocabulary.
6 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
Thanks for your kind words Anna, and yes, things are so different now
5 people like this
@LadyDuck (470823)
• Switzerland
22 Aug 18
@jaboUK There are things of the modern life that I like, but there are many more of the old times that I miss.
5 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
@LadyDuck Me too.
3 people like this
@allknowing (135331)
• India
22 Aug 18
No matter how old this poem is it will never fade away.
6 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
That's a nice thing to say, thank you Grace
1 person likes this
@marlina (154131)
• Canada
22 Aug 18
Unbelievable how the meaning of words has changed in the last decades.
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
Yes, it really is, and in some cases it's difficult to remember the original meanings.
2 people like this
• United States
22 Aug 18
You are the master at your poetry and this really took a lot of thought to make it all work so well. As always, enjoyed this and always look forward to your poems/posts. Funny how all those words now have new meanings.
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
Thank you Marilyn, I appreciate your kind comments . Yes, sometimes I forget the original meaning of the words.
1 person likes this
@sol_cee (38219)
• Philippines
23 Aug 18
A coughing hacker! lol
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
23 Aug 18
Lol - you liked that bit, did you?
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
23 Aug 18
Very beautiful and witty rhyme, Janet, and I guess there's only one here who can be your match - Madam @sol_cee :)
2 people like this
@sol_cee (38219)
• Philippines
23 Aug 18
Oh, I beg to disagree. Janet is Queen Bee of limericks. As you're the Sunrise King. hehe
1 person likes this
@sol_cee (38219)
• Philippines
23 Aug 18
@sunrisefan hahaha Like this?
2 people like this
@sunrisefan (28524)
• Philippines
23 Aug 18
@sol_cee And you're the Durian Queen?
2 people like this
@marguicha (222387)
• Chile
22 Aug 18
I did not read it in Bubblews. I loved your poem! Those were the days!
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
Yes indeed - words can have completely different meanings now.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (222387)
• Chile
22 Aug 18
@jaboUK Our whole life is different.
1 person likes this
@much2say (55320)
• Los Angeles, California
22 Aug 18
I wonder how many revisions need to be made in dictionaries each year! Your poem is so true - and can you imagine how words will change again in perhaps another decade???
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
Yes, I can imagine. I remember when they added 'selfie' to the dictionary and I was 'Whaaat?' - now it's completely accepted.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (50865)
• Canada
22 Aug 18
That's very well done, you have a clever sense of humour that you injected into this poem. The flowers are nice as well.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (50865)
• Canada
22 Aug 18
@jaboUK You are welcome! I have a pot of pink and purple petunias, but they have gotten root-bound and aren't looking very healthy at this stage of the season.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
@Juliaacv A lot of my flowers are 'on the turn' now - Autumn is coming.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
I'm pleased that you like both the poem and the flowers, thanks Julia.
2 people like this
@xFiacre (12912)
• Ireland
22 Aug 18
@jabouk Splendid verse and flowers.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
Thank you Fiacre
2 people like this
• Eugene, Oregon
22 Aug 18
So clever and it made me laugh. Will share with Anne.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
A high accollade indeed when you do that James Thank you.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40280)
• Laguna Woods, California
1 Sep 18
Oh, @JaboUK - I LOVE this. You really, really need to publish your poetry. I understand that Amazon will have publishing sites in the EU soon, if not already.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
2 Sep 18
You're always so kind about my poems, thank you Deborah. I still don't think there would be much of a market for them
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
3 Sep 18
@DeborahDiane Don't hold your breath
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
3 Sep 18
@jaboUK - I would certainly buy a copy and I bet some other people on MyLot would, too. It does not cost you anything to set up a book on CreateSpace or Kindle Direct Publishing as long as you set up the Word Document yourself and download it to their site. You might have to get a younger family member who is good with computers to help. You might even make $10 or $20 from it! You could even give the profits to the person who helps you set it up, as an incentive to help you.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (338682)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Sep 18
This is great Janet. Thanks for bringing it to light again. You really need to publish a book of your limericks and poems.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
5 Sep 18
That's kind of you to say that Judy, but I can't be bothered
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
6 Sep 18
@JudyEv I'm flattered that you would even consider bothering to copy/paste my stuff
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (338682)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Sep 18
@jaboUK Fair enough. I'll just have to copy and paste my favourites into a Word file to enjoy at my leisure. Don't worry (about copyright whatever), I probably won't be bothered.
1 person likes this
@Kandae11 (54981)
22 Aug 18
Wonderful poem! I am still not quite ofay with all the internet jargon used.
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
Thank you - I'm not either!
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (38126)
• Philippines
23 Aug 18
Nice poem you got there. I am impressed how you connect the past with the present. I am bad at doing poems.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (38126)
• Philippines
23 Aug 18
@jaboUK Honestly I am not a fan of poetry but when I read one and I can get to relate to or get connected with it then I really like it.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
23 Aug 18
I'm pleased you like this, thanks very much.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
23 Aug 18
@rsa101 I like to think that I write poems for people who don't like poetry. Nothing airy-fairy about mine, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand them
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
24 Aug 18
That is awesome! How long does it take you to come up with these entertaining poems?
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
1 Sep 18
@jaboUK You have just the right touch. I enjoy reading your poems!
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
24 Aug 18
This one took quite a while because I had to fit all those computer terms into a viable poem, but generally it varies. Some I can toss off in 5 minutes, others take days.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
2 Sep 18
@Shellyann36 Thank you
1 person likes this
@May2k8 (18323)
• Indonesia
23 Aug 18
writing poetry is clearly not easy. In such a context when a person wants to write poetry, you is not only obliged to know what and how the pronunciation of poetry forms, but also must know what and how the metaphor or symbol operates in a poetry text you wrote and you do it with very well poem.
1 person likes this
@May2k8 (18323)
• Indonesia
23 Aug 18
@jaboUK I am supposed to learn from you, because your poetry inspires many people.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
23 Aug 18
@May2k8 Thank you
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
23 Aug 18
You obviously know about poetry, thank you for your insightful comment
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15022)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
25 Aug 18
Beautiful flowers, Janet. Old words have so many new meanings now @jaboUK and this was a fun way to show how time has changed certain words meanings. I am going to attempt to bake some cookies today, the offline kind.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
27 Aug 18
@bluesa Gardening is my hobby
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
27 Aug 18
Yes, so many new meanings now. Thanks for liking the flowers and enjoy your cookies
1 person likes this
@bluesa (15022)
• Johannesburg, South Africa
27 Aug 18
@jaboUK Thank you, Janet. You really do have a gorgeous garden from the photos I have seen over time.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
26 Aug 18
Boy ain't all the above the truth @jaboUK .
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
27 Aug 18
It certainly is. Good to see you Nanette, hope you are ok.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
27 Aug 18
@nanette64 Oh sheesh
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
28 Aug 18
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26644)
• Singapore
22 Aug 18
So creative and meaningful. Times are different - what a change over the last couple of decades! We are swept away with the change that is gathering pace by the day - siva
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
22 Aug 18
Yes, it's a different world now. Thanks for liking the poem.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
23 Aug 18
@Shiva49 You're very kind, thanks siva
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26644)
• Singapore
23 Aug 18
@jaboUK Jabo, I sincerely feel this beauty deserves a wider audience - siva
1 person likes this