Christian poem 'Beware of the Box' by John Miles (Christart.com)

Beware of the Box
by John Miles

Come in sit down, shut up its on!
If its conversation you want, I'm sorry we've none.
I feel that I've known you most of my life,
Oh now I remember, you are my wife!

Beware of the box, it has taken my mind,
But what has it left? I'm afraid you'll find,
My intellect gone – what's become of me?
Quick, here's the commercials, go make the tea.

Meet the kids – they're in the room somewhere,
They would greet you I know, but they can't change their stare.
I've forgotten just how the kids to amuse,
Hey, forget the tea, here come the news.

At this altar each night we gather and glare,
'To which channel now?' – our constant prayer
I'll sell it one day and we'll all be free
And the family will see the real me.

'Stop thief!' come back with our family life,
I hardly know my children and wife.
Society numbed by immoral display,
All seen on the box, day after day.

'It will broaden your mind, its mental food',
We'll swallow the bad along with the good.
'It brings the world right into you home'
And the children will reap what the parents have sown.

'Talk to me dad, I'm now a young teen',
'This voice come from me dad, not from the screen!
'I remember you once used to talk to me,
When the box broke down and I was just three.'

'I need your help mum through these difficult years,
I need you to share my trials and tears.
We've watched the box for years side by side,
But I'd rather have you than that as my guide.'

Goggle boggle, no toil or trouble,
It's cast its spell on our family huddle,
We sit transfixed as if mesmerised,
It has a strange power, we can't move our eyes.

In our house we've formed a panel,
It meets each night to decide which channel.
We can usually agree without a fight,
But when we can't it's a terrible plight.

We only watch selected shows,
If it's a load of filth, then off it goes.
I switch it off without a care,
In our house it happens at least once a year.

The government should act and so should the church
And come to our aid in the desperate search,
For a way to return to our normal state,
With our minds alive, its not too late.

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