Mark Twain's Idea Of The Good Life

was 'friends, good books, and an easy conscience'.
Where the more all three decay the less
the individual knows what to do about it.

For books we can return to pasts that predate
electronic media, where radio was the first
step into transient media futures, and tape
could save a lot but equally deceive the listener.
But for friendships and conscience I see no future.
Friends define each other by how fixed the media are
that friends share - how well I remember friendship
being defined by quietly listening to the radio
where conversations better than I could muster
on my own ruled the airwaves - where I failed
to foresee how time evaporates friendships into the ether.

And in a political world where leaders seek obedience
without thoughtful self examination, an easy conscience
will be prone to  changes where it is right to fear
will be for the worse that it is right to fear will be irreversible.