Poor Answering Machine

Poor Answering Machine
By Larry R Linville

My phone doesn’t ring much when we’re not there.
The answering machine is in deep despair.
It has always thought I was its hero
now it’s ashamed its light is on zero.

Once many messages were recorded.
When I hit “play” it felt rewarded.
We answer the calls when we are in
as it sits on there feeling so chagrin.

Sitting alone, its mind seems to dwell
on my new possession that’s called a cell.
Most calls are on this phone without wire
and the machine thinks it soon will retire.

I feel kind of sorry for this old friend
whose life it seems has come to an end.
I just don’t feel like pulling the plug
and I don’t know how to give it a hug.