‘read aloud’ proving

an invaluable tool to edit

so many errors i no longer see

as i read and re-read my manuscript

skipped word, awkward sequence

computer-initiated paragraph—

midsentence

the reader’s non-inflective drone

takes a lengthy pause and i look up

to the screen from my notebook

“Ah, okay,” my straining eyes grateful

for a change

this listening-checking is not

my favorite chore but it is instructive

and for that i as well as my sore eyes

thank the designers of my computer