Evolution

by Ed Werstein

Once upon a time
phones were large,
sat on cherry wood desks
or hung on the wall
next to the ice box.

Before that there were no phones.
Once upon a time
timepieces were large,
sat on marble mantels
or hung on the wall over the phone.

Before that timepieces were huge
faces in towers on the town square.

Before that there were sundials.
And before that only the sun.
It still does a pretty good job
of announcing daybreak.

Eventually timepieces got smaller,
travelled with us
built into DeSoto dashboards,
carried in tweed vest pockets,
or lizard-leather-banded onto our wrists.

And then phones grew legs,
walked with us wherever we went
leashed to our belts
carrying tiny timepieces in their vest pockets.