Before the vortex came, before I spiralled
down I clearly remember that I chose
a password for the bank that sounded
something like SweetDreams
or SweatDreams or PepperTrees.
Definitely something to do with trees
and numbers. ThreeTrees. Or HoneyBees.
I recall, it rhymed. Or was it Cottagepie
Shepherd’spie, Bowtie?
I spin and whirl towards oblivion as the vortex
formed by a panic attack combined
with an out-of-body experience grabs hold
of me as I mutter incantations and summon
positive forces to protect me from encryptions
that aim to drag me down, down, down.
Then after clicking Forgot Password
I remember that it was the HoundsofHell
and I relax and remind myself I am
not powerless against the vortex
that slurp up forgotten passwords
when they die.
Ena de Kock lives in Tshwane (Pretoria) and loves playing with words. She is proud to have published two poems on Poetry Potion before and has also published poetry on Litnet and in Ons Klyntji.