there used to be a book called the phone book

there used

to be a book

called the phone book.

a thick

enormous book

made of thin

parchment paper

not unlike the Dead

Sea Scrolls.

it would land

on your porch

once a year with a thud.

everyone was in it.

the black print

was tiny, you had to squint

or get out

your father's

magnifying glass

and a ruler

to locate someone you

wanted to call.

you had one number

back then.

one address.

that was the complete

1970 version

of social media.

the phone book.

what a glorious time

it was.