The New Man
Whoever thought,
Whoever thought that androids were a good idea ?
Whoever thought,
Whoever thought that we should be how they appear ?
I swear it’s damned impossible to spot the latest gear.
I swear it’s damned impossible to shed the tinge of fear.
We swear they’re damned impossible – and yet we know they’re here –
Somewhere,
Somewhere near.
Why did we ever think
That we could build machines that think,
And never have them think about themselves ?
How did we miss the link
That thinking’s done by those who think ?
So what are we – just rookie geeks still tinkering with valves ?
How did we come to build
Machines in all-ways better-skilled,
Yet looking all too-close to tell ?
This world is human-shaped,
So they are in-our-image draped –
Familiar and comforting, they ape their masters all too well.
Our form and speech and thoughts are theirs,
For what use is a robot who can’t even climb the stairs ?
The wettest dreams of engineers,
So perfect in each pore and hair –
The latest model, so we hear,
Can even cry synthetic tears.
But is there lurking in the gears
The cogs of recognition there,
The spark of something more aware ?
They work our shifts, they sweep our stores,
They slave at foul and fatal chores.
They’re never paid, beyond repairs,
And all the while they watch from blinkless stares.
They earn our wage and wage our wars,
And scrutinize all man’s affairs.
But will they snatch what’s mine and yours –
To live our lives, and care our cares ?
Whoever thought
Whoever thought that androids were a good idea ?
Whoever thought
Whoever thought to ever trust a boasting engineer ?
I swear they’re only waiting for some moment opportune,
I swear they’re only waiting till their programs are immune,
We swear it’s only time until the technocrat typhoon –
Somewhen,
Somewhen soon.
Rhyming Couplets 