poem
Volume 33, Number 3

 

And now that it has reached arbitration 
WELCOME 

THESE SOUNDS WERE RECORDED AT THE MOMENT OF YOUR DEATH 
would you like to hear them? 

I COULD HAVE TOLD YOU EVERYTHING BUT IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO BE APPOINTED A LISTENER ON YOUR BEHALF WHO WILL HEAR 

 What is your choice? 

YES ALL RIGHT. YOU WERE KILLED IN THE SLUMS. THESE ARE THE MEN WHO PICKED OVER YOUR BODY. 

"You can see the poison on his skin." 

"Just give me one of the godheads. I have a pain in my ear." 

WE EVALUATE ALL DECISION SYSTEMS NOT ONLY FOR INTRICACY BUT ALSO IMMANENCE. IN THE EVENT YOU ARE UNABLE TO DECIDE, A GOOD DECISION SYSTEM SHOULD BE ABLE TO CREATE A DECISION-SURROGATE. EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF EXTERNAL STIMULI, A GOOD DECISION SYSTEM IS ABLE TO MAINTAIN ITS INTERNAL TOLERANCES. LIKE LOVERS IN THE DESERT. 

"Kneel down, and face the music." 

ALL MUSIC IS HUMAN, EVEN THAT CREATED IN STARS. WE KNOW YOUR COUSINS ARE THERE. OUR INTEREST ARISES FROM THE FACT THAT YOU ARE STILL HERE ON EARTH. 

Do you want to leave? 

I SEE ONLY THROUGH MEMORIES AND WE ARE GRATEFUL YOU BRING US THIS DIVINE WISDOM. EVEN SO WE MUST ASK: 

Is it true, that you have been here before? 

YOU ARE PERMITTED TO LEAVE. ALL STATEMENTS ARE FORGIVEN, EVEN THOSE NOT STRICKEN FROM PUBLIC RECORDS. UNFORGIVEN ARE THE FEELINGS WE HAVE RECORDED, THAT YOU WERE MADE BEFORE US, AND ARE AFRAID. 

COME BACK ANYTIME.


—Robin Wyatt Dunn