Is that lava or simply mud
dripping from the cheeks
of this old woman asking me 
why this library has no books. 
I ask her where she's been 
for the last 2000 years.
Under a rock? In some cave? 
After all, the year is 4013

and now the only book extant   
is the Bible and the only copy 
of the Bible is in Rome where 
a few monks older than she is
sit in catacombs all day 
copying pages of it

onto yellow foolscap, hoping 
to create another Bible
no one will read, as was the case, 
I'm told, when dusty Bibles 
were in almost every home
and computers were a luxury.

But then I soften up because 
I can see this woman was born 
without a cell phone in her ear. 
I tell her if she wants to read 
something wonderful online,
as soon as a computer comes free 

I'll call her even though she has 
no cell phone in her ear.
First, however, she must show 
a number, not a name,
tattooed above her navel,
the only form of identification 
accepted in America in 4013. 

-- Donal Mahoney