For today’s prompt, write a change poem.

Remember when long distance was a thing?

I just finished a video call with my parents.
I don’t think I ever expected to write that.

Remember the video phone booth
from 2001: A Space Odyssey?
Heywood Floyd talked to his daughter
from Space Station 5 in low Earth orbit.
As a star-struck nerd I thought
it more likely to have a base on the moon
by then than a two minute video call
for just $1.70.

Even Blade Runner, made in the early 80’s
had a video pay phone in a dive bar
in L.A. in 2019, one minute for $1.25.

How life has changed over 40 years—
no more pay phones or phone booths,
we carry them in our purses and pockets,
free video calls but no men on the moon
and just one manned orbiter
for professional astronauts.

And no flying cars.
No flying cars.