Keeping Score

Remember going bowling
And the scoresheets that we used?
If there were lots of strikes and spares,
The scorer got confused.

We’d boldly mark those X’s
And accentuate each slash;
But that was long ago –
Those years have vanished in a flash.

The modern bowling alley
Has no paper for your score.
Computers keep the tally;
No one figures anymore.

Each knocked-down pin is noted
On the huge bright lit-up screen.
Automatic calculations
Let your total score be seen.

Every strike or spare’s acknowledged
With a pulsing slash or X.
Eyes all swivel to the graphics
Just to witness these effects.

Keeping score today is easy.
That much I can understand;
But a part of me still misses
When we did it all by hand.