In the Nursery

It was as if surprise assembled itself
for it came as by degree--
a presence...there by light,
unannounced and unassuming, taking form,
robotic,
stillness,
frame-by frame
and in fairness
the observer plays his role
as the intruder, and at once,
the helpless pawn.

 

"It is as we had feared," he thought.
"Technology has slipped a cog,
released its madness,
but calmly enough...
since there is no recovery."
             ~

 

Reviews

[Angi]

I read a novel some years back by an author that escapes me. His story has never left my brain, though. Computers took over the world one pc at a time. The wires came alive and meshed with the humans sitting in front of them. The wires became arteries and veins. That image still makes me slightly nervous to sit in front of a computer screen. That simple cog slippage up there gave me goosebumps, Dean. Angi~

[Dean]

always delighted to have your reactions and thoughts, Angi.

[Tom]

Reminds me of Stanley Kubrick's classic 'A space Odyssey' were the computer of the space ship begins making decisions for itself, disregarding the instructions of its human astronaut pilots and the disastrous consequences which then ensue!

Another very thought provoking poem !

[Dean]

yup! thanks

[Marie]

Kind of like my computer...

[Sami Khalil]

The role technology will play in the future in the sense of degrading our morals and values and where humanity becomes a pawn in the power of modernization. We will assemble a new humanity like I read here but not one that is necessarily good. A deep , philosophical write...:)

[Dean]

Thank you. I think you have the essence. When the machines take command, they will do it without fanfare. Why should they? They will have it all.

[Sami Khalil]

Wow. A great perspective. You are welcome...:)

[Ed Hart]

there's no doubt it, 'surprise' is assembling itself, sir prize

[Lydia Shutter]

I see this as the birth of a robot....in a nursery formerly meant for the birth of human beings. There is no recovery....we have relied on technology for so long now. Where would we be without it? Good write, Dean. Lydi*

[Dean]

Thank you, Lydia

[LightforChrist]

i really love the beauty of this poem. I also did not fully understand the meaning of it, but through the poem's simple elegance I found that the poem could stand alone without it. If you still want your audience to grasp the entire meaning though, i would also suggest that you try changing the wording of the title as well. Great job! :)

[Dean]

The title is the giveaway. In a "what if" world, I tried to speculate into the poor value we ascribe to life. In the world of pure technology, I really believe the total domination of machine would immediately show no concern for life. I tried to visualize that the human part could indeed end with the slippage of a single cog.

[fwvalidus]

Very elegant and very well written. I am glad to have stumbled across this piece. Good work. Though I do not understand the meaning behind it, I am able to appreciate the beauty within the art. Perhaps tweek the title to help someone like me to understand the true meaning of this poem... Just a thought!

[Dean]

Thanks. Since it is a fantasy, think of it as a "what if" moment. Does that help?

[fwvalidus]

It definitely does. I like it