Digitus meant finger
to the Romans
and gave us our word digit
which means finger too,
but as years went by
became a word for number,
since fingers count things
(crudely but ably).
It takes most of the digits
of one hand
to write numbers on paper
or even letters for that matter -
individual and epistolary.
People used to write letters
and you could hear them do it,
scribbling and scratching,
dotting and crossing,
blotting and cursing.
O the sounds.
Rhythm hung on
the grain of the paper and
the heft of the pen.
Script was practiced
as if it were important.
But using digits that way
wasn’t digital.
Digital is dots
that make no noise
and have no smell.
Tiny points of
yes or no,
plus or minus,
zero or one,
yin or yang.
Everyone’s digitals
look the same,
though their grammar and style
are much different,
unless of course you run it
through the computer
and let the program
improve it.
Better yet,
select a form letter
and type your name
at the bottom.
If typing tires you,
assign your name
to a function key.
Anyone can write
with only one digit.
Other graphic arts
overwhelmed the senses too.
Finger painting
with slimy slippery colored cream
on shiny white paper
made flat art
with unsettling depth
and smelled so pungently
bright and tactile.
You could use one digit
or all ten.
Just clean up after.