What Folks Did(For Lyn) Poem by Dónall Dempsey

She was born
into a world

without telephone...television
motor car or aeroplane

“all the damn modern things”

she never did get used to
even when they invidiously invaded her life.

Even now
in her little one room flat

at the end of her life
she berates the telephone.

“It just rings and...rings! ”

She loudly complains.

“And that’s why I don’t answer the thing! ”

“It won’t...leave me alone! ”

I ask her
with laughter

what did folks do

without these things

how did they get by.

“What did folks do? ”

She sighs
as if telling a child:

“We used to...love one another! ”