THE TELEPHONE

Upon a time ago
There was a television
Advertisement
From Bell, Canada
Depicting a typical
Rotary dial desk phone

It was attached
To a mechanical gizmo
That, repeatedly,
Picked up the handset
And slammed it down
Into the cradle
Depressing the dual plungers
With lusty force

It was a lesson
In anger management
An act of unremitting
Fervency and pointed zeal
To bring about
The absolute termination
Of undesired discourse

The ad’s promise being,
One could do this thing
Thousands upon thousands
Of times
With no dire consequence
To the phone

Or, by extension,
Oneself

Off the hook

Nothing presently exists
In therapy replacement
No satisfaction, found

In ending

© jameshoustonarts 2025