Somewhere near Niagara

A tumbling drop of water veers left

Into the turbine,

Not over the lip,

But into the turbine,

Pushes the turbine,

Spins the turbine,

Against the magnet,

Tugs the electrons,

Snaps the electrons,

Now unbound from their atomic shells.

Screaming through this universe,

Free at last -

But fettered in the copper wire

By porcelain bracelets

Electrons group and gather, grumbling,

Grow in number,

Until they veer left

Along the cable to my home.

I flick a switch -

Inviting some electrons to tour my new computer.

I press a key -

New places to explore.

Invisibly they dance with my fingers

Across the keyboard.

Bored, they spiral along the cable,

To the chassis,

Through the modem,

To the phone line,

In the wall,

To other computers.

To your computer

Where you flick a switch,

Press a key,

Electrons surge and WHOOSH!

Your screen is filled with phosphor dots.

This end product

Of a drop of rain.