IEEE Spectrum breed · Technologie

Poetry for Engineers: Safe Distance

A poem explores the nature of connection and distance in the digital age, using metaphors from telecommunications and networking.

The poem questions how to connect across vast distances, referencing optical fibers and light pulses carrying fragmented messages. The speaker notes the ease of this digital connection, but also the loss it entails.

The concept of 'safe distance' is explored through network terminology like 'network,' 'signals,' and 'cables.' The poem contrasts the speed of data transmission with the slowness of longing, highlighting a state of being 'synchronous, yet apart.'

Digital interactions are described as replacing physical intimacy, with 'icons replace skin' and 'latency replaces breath.' This distance is presented as a chosen protection, shielding individuals from the potential pain or transformation of actual physical meeting.

The poem concludes by likening the connection to a 'counterpoint,' 'response,' and 'reflection' maintained at a safe distance. It uses imagery of underwater nodes and resending packets to symbolize the resilience and hope inherent in digital communication, even with its imperfections.

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