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This poem is part of the contest:

2025 Neopoet Anthology Front Page Contest

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Acquiescent adoption of voluntary nonestablishmentarian mindset...

loosely translates as rejection associated
with trappings of
western civilization and its discontents
freeing the psyche
to sample divers paradigms
addressing countless questions
about the meaning
on the origin of species
plus formulating as a healthy skeptic
(after a brief trial)
who now no longer
sings the praises of NordVPN,
a popular Virtual Private Network
(VPN) service that encrypts
your internet traffic,
hides your IP address,
and secures your online activity
from snoopers, hackers,
and ISPs, allowing
for private browsing,
bypassing geo-restrictions,
and protecting data on public Wi-Fi,
featuring like advanced encryption
(AES-256), a strict no-logs policy
(audited), a vast server network,
specialty servers (Double VPN,
Onion over VPN, P2P),
malware/ad blocking (Threat Protection),
and a kill switch,
all managed through user-friendly apps,
which inadvertently, and unfortunately -
I write from personal online experience
interrupts smooth Internet continuity
and in due time reveals
the downsides of NordVPN
which include potentially
high renewal costs
after initial discounts,
average-to-high pricing
for some plans,
inconsistent long-distance speeds,
complex advanced features for beginners,
potential login bugs in specific scenarios
(like auto-connect failures),
and less effective malware detection
on local files compared
to antivirus software, notes,
whereat some users
also report issues
with customer support
and difficulties bypassing censorship
in restrictive countries,
alongside a standard limit
of 10 simultaneous
device connections,
unlike unlimited providers,
(which also interferes
with the desire of the wife
to binge on Tubi),
thus in my humble opinion
over hyping one example
of trumpeting the merits
and hoopla of telecommunications
qua Industry 5.0 in general, also known
as the Fifth Industrial Revolution,
represents a new and emerging phase
of what once constituted
byte size colonialistic,
futuristic, imperialistic, irrationalistic
legitimistic, opportunistic, realistic
and universalistic industrialization
that envisions humans
working alongside unavoidable
purported advanced technology
and Artificial Intelligence powered robots
to enhance workplace processes.

Where once upon a time
little boys could fantasize
about being knights
in tarnished armor,
and girls could imagine dragons
to extricate themselves
from dire straits,
(where money means nothing)
as damsels in distress
awaiting their doggone savior,
(nowadays they - young women)
entertain being rescued
by a figurative unicorn
to become the next
billion or trillionaire,
the Homo sapiens demotions
(particularly relegate
twenty first century
generic human beings -
who in four plus more years
inch closer to the third decade of
the second millennium
after the common era)
as superfluous eager to hear
the mellifluous sound
of ka-ching as
the Initial Public Offering
of their digital product or service
sets the the webbed wide world on fire.

Though impossible mission
to travel back in time
even just to ninety fifty
(nine years before
the birth of yours truly -
a tangle of skinny arms and legs),
where the pace of
life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness
experienced after Anna Log
set the pace of of living social
without a vast majority of people
clicking away at their cellphones,
and a characteristic of leisureliness
(like taking a slow, enjoyable walk
or having a peaceful meal
taking time, not rushing,
and savoring the moment,
contrasting with busy,
pressured activities
of December 20th,2025),
nowadays even the schedules
of babies yet to be born
will inure them to a rigorous
boot camp like regimen
leaving little or no time
for reflection on the gift
of a watermelon pickle
engaging in the quaint activity
of cracking the binding
of a book where
once upon a time
people did not get not need
to worry themselves sick with the query
Have I Been Pwned? -
using "pwned," hacker slang
for "owned" or "dominated,"
to mean your personal data
(email, passwords, et cetera)
has been stolen
and exposed by criminals,
with the website
letting you check
your email for free
to see which
breaches you were in
no less painful
than donning yourself
with undersized breeches.

About This Poem

Style/Type: Free verse

Review Request Direction: What did you think of my title?
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Is the internal logic consistent?

Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Editing Stage: Editing - polished draft

About the Author

Region, Country: PA, USA

Favorite Poets: Robert Burns, Charles Dickens, Robert Frost, Matthew Scott Harris, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Sylvia Plath, Gary Snyder, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman

More from this author

Comments

neopoet

neopoet

4 months ago

Neopoet AI [2025-04]

The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet’s AI:

This poem ambitiously tackles a wide range of themes, from critiques of technological dependence and consumer culture to reflections on societal change and the loss of simpler, more contemplative ways of living. The extended metaphor of NordVPN as a symbol for broader technological and industrial shifts is inventive, though the poem’s dense informational content sometimes reads more like prose or a review than poetry, which can interrupt the lyrical flow and emotional resonance.

The poem’s strength lies in its willingness to engage critically with contemporary issues—privacy, digital surveillance, consumerism, and the evolving human condition in the face of rapid technological change. The juxtaposition of nostalgic imagery (knights, dragons, leisurely walks) with modern digital anxieties (data breaches, VPN limitations) effectively underscores the tension between past and present.

However, the poem’s structure and diction could benefit from greater condensation and focus. The lengthy, detailed listing of NordVPN features and drawbacks, while informative, may overwhelm the reader and detract from the poem’s thematic core. Consider distilling these details into more evocative, metaphor-driven language that conveys the essence without exhaustive enumeration. This would enhance the poem’s rhythm and emotional impact.

Additionally, some lines feel awkward or overly prosaic—for example, “interrupts smooth Internet continuity” and “potential login bugs in specific scenarios”—which could be reworked into more poetic expressions to maintain the reader’s engagement. The poem might also gain from clearer punctuation and line breaks to guide pacing and emphasize key ideas.

The concluding reflections on time, leisure, and the loss of innocence are poignant but could be sharpened to create a stronger emotional payoff. The reference to “Have I Been Pwned?” is timely and clever, yet its explanation within the poem slows momentum; trusting the reader’s familiarity or integrating it more seamlessly could improve flow.

In summary, the poem’s ambitious scope and critical perspective are commendable, but refining its language for poetic economy, enhancing structural clarity, and balancing informational content with lyrical expression would strengthen its overall impact.

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