What I Miss

A Never-Ending Poem Response — Prompt: Envelope

It’s an icon now, a screen flash, a tiny window with an image that once was paper, sealed and stamped, holding a letter, card, or invitation, a celebration of life or transmitter of sad news.

It once permeated feminine perfume or manly cologne, wafting from an open mailbox to an eager recipient, who ripped at the flap edges, impatiently, expectantly, hesitantly.

It once was brightly colored for holidays and birthdays, stamped with whimsical creatures and images, sometimes sealed with wax or a kiss, the upper right corner harboring currency to go from there to here, squares of foreign places, presidents, birds, and cultural idols.

It once meant you were remembered for happy or for sad, but remembered, it was a hand across the miles, a long-distance hug or tears shared, it was a ribbon of connection when connecting wasn’t easy.

Now it’s a beep or a chime, announcing another in a long line of messages, more junk than not, more annoyance than anticipation, another ping, another poke, a cold reminder, a quick note, a demand, an e-bill, a joke, a warning, an unwanted solicitation.

Spams, trojans, stealths, phishing with or without spears, pharming, drive-bys, teardrops, spoofing and hijacking, smurfs, botnets, worms, drops and viruses, ransomware, adware, spyware and malware.

All arriving uninvited, unwanted, and unappreciated, attacking, destroying, disabling.

I miss envelopes.

I wrote this Never-Ending Poem response to the Envelope prompt from Neha Sandhir S.:

This was my fifth Never-Ending Poem. Here are the other four:

And, it all started with this prompt from Martin Rushton:

I have thoroughly enjoyed this prompt series but all good things must come to an end, so this post has no prompt. However, I will do my best to answer any Never-Ending prompts sent my way.

Thank you, each and everyone, who already responded to my prompts and anyone who is still ruminating on a response.

Thank you, Martin Rushton, for starting the inspiration that spurred so many other inspirations.