Batteries Not Included

It hit that same
          number, damn number
   it hit it 'cause its batteries
  were dying,
         not dead, but just enough gone
   that they pecked
              out that annoying distress call
          for someone to come
                  change them
                  but they wouldn't
          They wouldn't 'cause the batteries weren't
   dead and that number
             would be beaten over
         until that minute hand
   died and the second
          hand quit laughing
  'cause no one was gonna
    change the batteries
         until the
                  batteries were dead.
 And pity wouldn't come for that number,
         damn number
  until someone noticed
it was the wrong number
And 'cause they couldn't read it
          anyway unless it glowed red
       they weren't gonna
               change
                the batteries
         until the batteries
               were dead.

      --  Stephanie Rusk

"Batteries Not Included" copyright © 1994, Stephanie Rusk
All rights reserved.