Cyber-Bullying | Based on real events

Disgracebook — In Free Unforgiving Verse and Prose

GiaB writing prompt #16: social media

Trigger warning: Coarse language, themes and events may cause distress to some readers

He was the butt of their jokes and their kicks and their elbows “You’re a great dancer,” they would say “Dance for us.” So he danced for them and they laughed at him and kicked him and shoved him in the back “Come and join us on Facebook,” they said “It’s fun.” So he did. They wrote on his wall, “C*ck-sucking loser” and “Go top yourself.” and lots of emojis oh the emojis they hurt He knew it was wrong because it made him feel bad He was the bad one for being messed up in the head for wanting a friend “I deserve what I get,” he told himself Deserve being kicked in the nuts day after day until his only way out was the rope he hid in his room.

© Carolyn Hastings 2021

Is there any value in teaching our children the interpersonal skills we were taught, or has the need for them gone the way of the dodo? Victor Sarkin

This poem has been begging to be written for some time. I’ve resisted. The trigger warning at the top applies to me as much as it does to anyone else reading my poem. I probably shouldn’t have submitted it but here we are.

As you can see from the screenshot above, Victor’s reference to the extinct ‘dodo’ bird made me laugh, but within an hour of writing the comment, I’d written the skeletal version of my poem. I’m not saying, “He made me do it,” but his words were like the ignition button on a rocket engine primed for blast off. Rocket engines carry a heavy fuel load. This rocket is no exception. This rocket is called Forgiving Myself for Being Unforgiving.

My answer to Victor’s question is —

This is not an option. We MUST teach ALL children the core principles of respect, kindness and compassion. Part of the way of doing this is to be good role models ourselves. This includes how we use social media and how the tech giants (yes, that’s you, Disgracebook) use us.

For those concerned about what happened with the rope, I can tell you that it was never used for its intended purpose, but it did fast-track an emergency referral to the district child mental health facility — and in due course, the police. The boy and his family have been scarred for life. By association, I too have been scarred. We grit our teeth and move on, still wounded but wiser.

Thank you to Tamara Naidoo for tagging me into this prompt. Tamara has a far more laid-back approach to social media in her poem, Lying In Wait. You’ll find it here -

Thank you to Victor Sarkin and the editorial team at Genius in a Bottle publication for the writing prompt: social media. Apologies for the incendiary bomb I’ve dropped on it. For those of you still here and brave enough to take up the challenge to contribute your thoughts on the subject, here are the prompt guidelines —

With all due respect, I’m calling on Amy Marley | Chloe Paulina Hawes | Indubala Kachhawa | Dennett | Jenine Bsharah Baines | Trista Ainsworth | Cocoa Griot | Lori Lamothe | K. Barrett to take the prompt in a direction of their choosing.

Thank you for reading. I truly appreciate each one of you. 🙏 💕