Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Off-Site Conference


Speakers speak
panels opine
videos play
cameras flash
faces glow
with the light
of BlackBerry
buzz, little
candles in
the darkness,
heads bent
as in prayer.

In a corner
unnoticed
overwhelmed
by the video
screen looming
above him,
the artist draws
and colors and
traces what he
hears and senses,
the only truth
of what transpires.


This poem is submitted for Open Link Night at dVerse Poets. To see more poems submitted, please visit the site. The links will be live at 2 p.m. Central time today.

20 comments:

Pat Hatt said...

With all from the screen flying about
Great how the artist can still take a truthful note.

Anonymous said...

I have a whole series of Conference Poems, stuff I wrote in Albany and Dallas and Portland and Boston and Norfolk and St Paul when off doing trade shows, by day doing the dog and pony show for work, in the loneliness of my room early and late getting to the insides of those all-business events -- just what your artist is doing, coloring in the rest of of the picture. - Brendan

Ann Grenier said...

Do I sense that meetings aren't your favorite place to be? Wonderful fodder for the pot though...

Ann Grenier said...

Ooops...meant to say poet...

Maureen said...

You've coined a name for a new disease: "Blackberry buzz". And, unfortunately, I know too many who suffer from it!

It pleases me no end that I no longer have to attend conferences for work. Your poem contains all the reasons why.

Maureen said...

You've coined a name for a new disease: "Blackberry buzz". And, unfortunately, I know too many who suffer from it!

It pleases me no end that I no longer have to attend conferences for work. Your poem contains all the reasons why.

Lisa said...

I love the poem. I did that once, or twice, become the artist.

ayala said...

Nicely penned, Glynn :)

Scarlet said...

I like what that artist is doing...a nice reminder of what connects us, amidst the technology driven world.

Linda said...

I like this Glynn. I think the artist has discovered the best part.

S. Etole said...

The artist's job ... to present truth.

Anonymous said...

And the writer seems to do the same, I see through you

Anonymous said...

Ah yes. Stick an artist in a closed room with the meeting droning on around them...torturous, to be sure, but even there, the artist's role will out!

Brian Miller said...

smiles...amid the chaos the artist sees the truth beneath it all...and carries it forward with his pen..smiles.

signed...bkm said...

Have been to many a conference you have coined it well with the buzzing and heads bent...glad to be back reading..missed all the great work..bkm

JofIndia said...

I echo Susan's sentiments.
Sometimes an artist is the only person who can see the tenuous threads of truth amongst great muddles of meaningless communication..

Charles Elliott/Beautyseer said...

As in this poem, the sketch artist immortalizes a moment in time, essentalizes it, focuses our attention upon what is most important.

Reality is always a made thing. Thanks for this fine making!

Ann LeFlore said...

excellent ending and love your last stanza
http://gatelesspassage.com/2011/10/11/the-day-of-the-dead/#comment-1682

Anonymous said...

A true testament to our times..... As I sit here typing I realize this is what we have become: a world where conversation occurs only at leisure, like a half played chess board waiting for its participants to return. Thirty years ago would have found the same room alive with conversations, greetings between strangers, kisses between young lovers, familiar glances between older ones..... much has changed...

Tashtoo said...

The only truth indeed! The soul sucking vapor of the boardroom needn't attempt to steal your muse! Well penned!