The Internet and Time

 In Date & Time, Phil Kaye meditates on the topic of the internet. There are four poems that specifically address this topic and naturally Kaye also plays with the element of time within these works.  

“The Internet Speaks Back to the Author, 2018” and “The Internet Speaks Back to the Author, 1998” blatantly echo each other, with the latter appearing toward the end of the collection. The contrast of these two poems emphasizes the power and influence of the internet as well as the power and influence of social media. The 2018 poem reveals the precise nature in which social media targets our interests, desires, and emotions. Kaye writes using personal language such as “you like it better that way” and “you’re safe here/with me” as if a computer program understands the speaker’s psyche more than the speaker himself. We can understand this poem full circle when we turn to 1998. This is more of an introduction to this world, in other words, a tutorial. The internet says, “from now on/ I will always be here/ for you”. Since Kaye places this poem toward the end of the collection, this sentence is a bit more daunting because we know the outcome of an a consistently accessible internet. Looking back on this moment in time when the speaker was learning about each realm of the internet reminds us that we exist separately from our devices.  


The content of “Before the Internet” is different from the other poems about technology because the speaker exists with his friend Ben and they do not have computers or the internet, unlike the other poems that literally come from the perspective of a computer. This poem draws a line in time, before the internet and after. Each generation that comes along does not know a life without the internet. This poem is less of a critique or judgement and more of a reflection on before. However, I think as readers we can grapple with our own childhoods and our present existences and how technology and the internet play a role. In moments when we find ourselves turning to the internet, would it just be better to just be bored? This poem is about imagination and childhood and creativity and about making mistakes and learning from those mistakes and, in turn, learning about our humanity. 


Lastly, these three poems in addition to “Numbers Man” can be read through the lens of COVID-19. We live in a time dominated by technology as a necessity. Personally, I used to try and separate my “screen-time” from schoolwork (excluding typing on my laptop). It's become increasingly hard to do so, and I find myself staring at a screen most days. But of course, it is a privilege that we can connect in this way. I think these poems have reminded me to stay in control of my consumption as much as I can, especially as time moves forward. I have social media and the internet, and I will have them for the rest of my life, so it’s important to learn how create a balance.  

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