there

Can you see me in your computer looking out at you?

I can’t actually see you, but you may be able to see me there

Or imagine that you see me there

Kind of like thinking that an author is talking directly to you

You read their book and there he or she is

Looking out at you and talking to you

Yet, you know, they’re mostly talking to air

Sometimes their friends

Rarely you, the public

And, then, they’re not even really talking at all in there

It’s just writing that you turn into talking that you turn into an author you see in

there

I still feel that if you look closely though you may see my face

Asking if you see me there

Where?

In these words, I guess, is where you may see me there

I like to think that I am projecting myself to you through this poem on your

screen

Across the Internet

Along its cables and wireless transmitters

Across some huge, maybe small, physical space

(I don’t know where you live in Melbourne

I think most people who read this are Melbourne people

So only a Melbourne person would see me there if they can find me there)

Maybe I need to be a little bit more literal so you can see me there

J

See that?

I am smiling at you emotionally

Or was that emoticon-ly?

Usually I wouldn’t be able to ask you if you see me anywhere

But usually I don’t have a ranting distraction to drop myself into

Now I do and I can ask if you see me there

For this I am grateful

The Internet gives everyone a right to expression

And then to wonder if a stranger can see them there

(Even if not everyone’s expression deserves the right to be heard

Should I be heard?

In finally seeing me there, do you think that I should not be heard?)

I’ll write this and look into my MacBook Pro screen

If I look hard enough, I may see you looking back at me

My imaginary reader

Looking

Maybe they can see me there