Teaching my mother to text

She bought the mobile for emergencies
(a Nokia like mine; she chose the blue one).
Holds it nervously,
like it's a bomb.

I sit beside her, leaning close,
and guide her through the arrows,
options, characters. She's slow,
presses too carefully, two letters forward
and one back. She spells out all her words:

G-H-I am learning
how to send a text.

She isn't sure she sees the point -
could say in just one breath
what takes her two minutes to text.
So I explain
that when you want to stay in touch, but
don't have time for conversation -
then you text.

(I'm busy. There's too much to do.
I often don't return her calls.)

My mother nods; says
she understands.