To be or not to be

Two people engrossed in their phones.

Chantler63 Shakespeare Challenge and National Poetry Writing Month, also phoneworld
Well-known phrases from Shakespeare
Day 22: ‘to be or not to be' (Hamlet)

This image and my haiku poem, which is really a little playlet (we are doing Shakespeare, after all), are a meditation on what it means to be.

I used vignette and edge blur as well as b&w to give these people as much privacy as possible. They caught my attention simply because they remained focused on their separate phones for a long time. The scenario in my poem is pure fiction and has nothing whatsoever to do with these people, who merely happened to be sitting nearby.

EXISTENTIALLY SPEAKING

She (to girlfriend):
I feel so alone.
I wish that he would notice.
Always on his phone.

He (to colleague):
How the time has flown.
I get so much more work done
Texting on my phone.

(They look up.)

She:
Please don’t take that tone.
I’ve been waiting half the day
While you’re on your phone.

He:
It’s a deadline blown
Pushing me to get ahead,
And you should have known.

Together:
Just leave me alone.
I would rather spend my time
Typing on my phone.

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NOVEL NEWS

Speaking of deadlines, I reached another milestone today. Finished paper edit of my most recent 150 pages. As soon as I enter the edits and print the book I'll be able to start writing the final pages. I've also started looking into self-publishing venues.

IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING AND ARE WILLING TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE, LEND ME YOUR EARS I'M ALL EARS.