The lights went out on our side of the road;
We had to pack our devices away
And live according to an older code
About how we come together to play.
We converge around a different glow
That flickers from a central candle’s wick;
Neighbors become our television show
Which we will find to be the better pick.
Laughter will be heard around the table
As we gather around a deck of cards,
A more traditional kind of cable
That has more channels than the sky has stars.
You will realize that it’s a pity
When we live through our electricity.
John Collings 