Comments

The internet is both a wonderful and horrific invention that has lifted a stone and revealed the dark heart of many people in our so-called civilised society. This poem is dedicated to the people who contribute to the comments section under Mail Online articles about immigrants.

Comments

The world wide web is aptly named
for spider-like it traps our thoughts;
ideas roam free along its threads
then catch upon its sticky knots

Enraged, inspired, considered, rash
all kinds of words come flooding out
unedited - no second chance
whether carelessly or skillfully wrought
democratising ignorance
straight from your brain to vast disk farm
where they lie exposed like a helpless child
in an uncaged zoo of savage harm

Your arguments, so neatly drawn
typed into words, precisely laid
are presented for the world to see
as you bask in lazy righteousness
sure of your ideology.

But then the web it snares your words
and the spider sniffs and finds them out
its poisoned fangs exposed to bite
and paralyse your pumping heart.

For below your carefully drafted piece
you smugly wait 'til come along
the comments that are like a drip
of decaying corpse fluid on your tongue.

Smart or dumb, it matters not
the world is free to judge your text
in anonymity they click and tut
and smear and hate
pressing keys they make
a thumbs-up like, a love heart,
sad or angry face
as they upvote, downvote,
tap their slashing were-wolf words
hurting, hating, pointing, shaming
until your only way to tackle
the tide of spitting, baiting, blaming
is blocking, blocking, stop the blight;
de-friend, delete, end the cackle
of abuse and threats and hurtful slights.

But it's far too late
we all now know
that out there in the real world
are people who may look like us
may act like us
but underneath
they have their running commentary
their stifled fears, their own true selves
the arachnid fangs of bitter bile
waiting to bite
behind a grim-faced smile.

Tim Fellows 2018