First published 22 January 2021
The Lever Arch File
A lever arch file
is a beautiful thing,
made of cardboard
and shiny metal,
designed to hold papers in place
with a lever and a spring.
You can have an A-Z index
or a dating system
nothing left to chance
records retrieved, at a glance.
There was something so sure
about the lever arch file
that now sits in a pile
in landfill
or burnt on a bonfire
turned into ash.
With digital data
we’re up in the clouds
never quite sure
what goes up
or comes down.
Searches draw blanks
seem random at best
will our technological filing systems
really stand the test
like the lever arch file did
once upon a time?
2021 & 2025
Glad About 