Ode to Old Red

The sun rose over the hill,

I lay tobacco and say a prayer.

Coffee in hand as I ascend

the steps to my impending doom.

******

Easy to use my son said to me,

one day is all I should need of thee.

Password set and domains chosen

but the day wears on and the laptop is frozen.

*******

Poor Machine has been well used

through years as a writing tool.

Books, stories, and poems too have come to light because of you.

Now a webpage, needs to be done Old Red and I can get'er done.

******

One click of the mouse is a dangerous game. Russian Roulette is the name.

Will Old Red process my comands?

Will Old Red fail me once again?

Don't click too fast nor ask too much for Red is old and loosing it's fire.

*****

"Upload a this beautiful picture of you,"

he said to me with a smile so true.

Here mother dear, write in this box

A little tidbit all about you!

******

Blank stares affixed upon a little box.

How hard can this be, but wait, this everyone will see.

No words flowed from my overwhelmed brain.

Not today, Not today I can not think of words at all today.

*****

Son retires to take his leave.

I sit and I stare at the red machine.

"Come and complete this task today." it slyly says to me.

If you do not, no sleep nor slumber will come to thee.

******

A shrug of my shoulders

all tense from the fight.

I do not agree

that making a website a delight.

******

Stupid brain nags me at night.

I fling off the covers

and return to the fight.

One click too quick and, dammit, all was lost.

******

As I cried I heard, "Try again. Try again", said the night.

I stumbled for coffee all stale and brown

this night is going to be a long night, I thought with a frown.

Uploads and downloads eat at the minutes away, that didn't matter that they passed away.

*****

Fingers type and the mouse's maneuvers swift.

My eyes wore tired in the glow of Red's light.

Minutes crept by slowly into the dark of night,

Dark bags of flesh line my dark brown eyes.

******

Low, the old crone felt as she continued in vain.

Learning from the agile young brain was a total bane.

Eyes squint at the glowing screen, I thought,

We've done great things, just watch Old Red, I believe we can do it again!

******

Broken nail, coffee stain on shirt, ruffled hair, I must have looked like a freight.

Mouse's battery died and I growled a loud growl as it took flight.

Saved by the couch it rolled to the floor, spitting batteries all over the floor.

Grumpy and achy old bones rose from the chair. I nearly crawled but I limp ed to there.

******

"I am sorry, please forgive." I said to it. "I should have risked you," I said to the lover of Red.

I say silent prayer until the rage had fled.

I whispered to the ancestors, "Show me, I can learn."

With a bite of my lip, I stifle my grumbles and wondered, 'What more can I give?'

******

One page, two pages, oh God, I have to do three.

Come on old Red, I've got thee.

One click. two clicks soon I will let you be.

Let's get this done, Let me break free of thee.

*****

A text from my son,

miles away he still chides me.

a ping, a swipe, sat a yellow face laughing at me.

"Thanks for trying hard." he said to me.

*****

The grammar police buckled in

my webpage under fire for the content was too thin.

A screenshot of and error was sent to me.

A frown given as I made my reply, a picture of a finger sent then a goodbye.

*******

Too old to learn, is my truth today.

Too stubborn to break in and give this to a younger brain.

I resigned to the night and bid Old Red goodnight.

I can do more tomorrow because of what Red and I learned tonight.