The Next Flood

[matsunosuperfan]

The Next Flood

One day the cloud will burst
and millions will drown
in the zeroes and ones
of the world's memories.

As flood waters swell
they'll hold phones to the sky-
call out for connection
to the God they believe in-

only to be answered
with dark screens, and silence.

This starts off pretty strong for me with the drowning in 0s and 1s. A familiar image maybe, but the enjambment gives it a sense of surprise that refreshes the move. 

The next six lines bore me to tears. The arc of the poem is transparent and completely telegraphed, it has nothing new to say and says it in the same way many others have said it.

Flat didacticism, yawn. Oh no stop looking at your phone or you'll miss the world. Oh the phone is their God now. I've been scolded by this PSA before.

Top of head, a more interesting/compelling impulse might be to investigate "the world's memories" as they fall from the sky or wherever.