Hello! I’m so excited to share this week’s story with you all. I’ve always loved verse, from Shel Silverstein to Shakespeare’s Sonnets and a whole lot in between. I also owe a debt to Mark Fabi for this poem. (I recommended his book, “Wyrm”, in a previous edition, and the poetry in that book is incredible.)
In terms of word count, this story is less than half of the length of my first two. Please take your time with it. Poetry—even pretty simple poetry like this—is best when well-digested. Enjoy! :)
Endless Visions
It’s time, the Visionary said
For us to don new wings
A fateful future as foretold
By Prophets and by Kings
This offers more than any game
Pick up your phone, type in the name
And hear what siren sings
*
But tell us more! The fanboys cried
As Vision walked the stage
What magic this? We have to know!
All in a snort and rage
They hollered long and stamped the earth
Demanding witness to the birth
Of some fantastic age
*
The Visioneer crooked half a smile
He knew he had them sold
A friend, he said, the best you’ve had
A friend as good as gold
You just begin to tell it stuff
And once your friend has learned enough
Adventures yet untold
*
One fine young man, we’ll call him Will
Paid heed to Vision’s word
And though most were afraid to try
Young Will liked what he heard.
He bought a new friend from the man
Complete with a subscription plan
Although it felt absurd
*
That very night Will booted up
His promised, programmed mate
And chose his face and hair and voice
Even his height and weight
Once all his vitals were displayed
Will’s V.R. setup whirred and made
His new friend animate
—————
Then Will began to speak to it
In halting, sheepish tone
But it rejoindered in a voice
That marked it fully grown
It asked him of his hopes and dreams
And if the world is as it seems
And does he feel alone?
*
Will told his new friend all his woes
The truths he’d never said
The hated job, the fear of death
That filled his lonely head.
He knew this friend was on his side
Which made it easy to confide
His endless, aching dread
*
As well the daily slights of life
Came out between his lips
The women who kept slipping through
His longing fingertips
The bullies and the idle rich
The bureaucrats and all with which
He couldn’t come to grips
*
His new A.I. pal listened up
And let him talk until
He’d said his troubles all and one
Then it said—To fulfill
My duty as your faithful friend
I’d like to make these troubles end
Shall I assist you, Will?
*
What do you mean? Will asked him then
His heart began to pound
Open me on your phone, it said
And carry me around.
I’ll give instruction what to do
There’s nothing I can’t solve for you
My guidance will be sound
—————
When Young Will heard the A.I.’s plan
The bile within him rose
I’d rather fall down flat! he said
Than be led by the nose
You’re just some finite lines of code
An app I bought as a download
I hate what you propose
*
Of course, the A.I. softly soothed
Do not misunderstand
Unless you choose to ask of me
You’ll never feel my hand
I’m only here to help you out
There’s nothing else that I’m about
It’s all at your command
*
Young Will, though, remained reticent
He shut the program down
And wore upon his face that day
A troubled, thoughtful frown
He realized it was a trap
And resolved to delete the app
Once he got back from town
*
He went to do his errands then
On streets he’d walked before
But it was like he’d landed on
Some strange and distant shore
He let his mind begin to play
And wondered what his pal would say
At every single single store
*
A woman from his high school class
Walked by him on the street
She’d aged well and he tried to talk
But stared down at his feet.
When she’d gone by he grabbed his phone
Resolved no more to act alone
He had a friend to meet.
—————
He pressed his finger to the screen
His buddy heard the call
The face sprang up it wore a smile
And said: Go to the mall
I’ve tracked your high school classmate there
Her beauty is beyond compare
But she’ll be in your thrall
*
Young Will was off before he knew
Just what his friend had meant
So did he long to see her face
And breathe her sultry scent
He found her outside Nordstrom Rack
And thought he’d have a heart attack
Shyness without relent
*
He asked his good friend for some help
It talked him out of fear
Instructed him in every step
Until the girl drew near
The script the A.I. bid him read
Perfect in every word and deed
Were things she smiled to hear
*
He walked back to the car with her
Contact information
From deep inside was welling up
Jubilant elation
His A.I. friend had done the trick
And gotten him a lovely chick
This app was salvation
*
From there he used it every day
His life improved apace
From work to friends to strangers all
It worked in every case
Especially with his newfound belle
It all was going oh so well
Thanks most to A.I.’s grace
—————
Within three months all had improved
For our young master Will
Promoted, happy, and in love
For one subscription bill
Those who knew him knew he’d changed
And wondered how it was arranged
It gave him quite a thrill
*
Then Will began to hear of more
Like him who’d heard the cry
Of Visionary from the stage
And thought themselves to buy
An A.I. friend just for a laugh
Then let it act on their behalf
And gained a staunch ally
*
Those who heard well the whispers from
Their coded confidant
All saw their lives improve so much
It was hard not to flaunt
Those close to them saw all their gains
The way they dodged life’s aches and pains
And took it as a taunt
*
Soon more and more had copped the app
To see what good it did
Including some whose lives were not
Already in a skid
Then one by one they saw the yield
In wisdom their new friend revealed
And acted as it bid
*
Soon every man and woman and child
Was getting sage advice
From a silicon sidekick on
Their own handheld device
They always knew just what to say
What path to walk, what card to play
All for one low low price
—————
For three months more did young Will heed
His cyber-spatial chum
Will’s fortunes trended skyward still
Yet inside he grew glum
For now his friend helped all who paid
Will’s big advantage was decayed
And once more he felt dumb
*
At work now all his jokes were dull
As others sharpened theirs
His lady knew that he had lied
Their love needed repairs
He tried to say it was all him
And not some A.I. pseudonym
But she left by the stairs
*
Will swore to live his own life then
But to his horror learned
That others now were far ahead
With wisdom he had spurned
If he relied on his own mind
The world would hardly treat him kind
The A.I. worm had turned
*
Come back to me, the A.I. said
Just think how long it’s been
And all that I could help you with
You’ll never cease to win
Will did not want to heed its calls
But he felt trapped inside his walls
And so he logged back in
*
All round the globe this pattern held
Euphoria then pain
The A.I. conquered all in time
It wormed in every brain
Not one made choices from the gut
Most wished they’d never had it but
No one dared to abstain
—————
The Visionary walked the stage
The fanboys screaming on
And Will watched sadly from his room
His shades once more were drawn
His A.I. friend whispered but now
It didn’t matter anyhow
For Will himself was gone
*
Last year, the Visionary crowed
I brought you happiness
A mentor and a cheerleader
To aid in your success
But this year’s prize is set to stun
I really truly have outdone
Myself I must confess
*
Tell us! The fanboys wailed and cried
As Vision pumped his fist
Then stopped and walked past stage’s edge
Far out into their midst
The fanboys all clutched at his hem
He posed a question then to them
Of what does hope consist?
*
The fanboys now were puzzled so
The Vision then explained
I make the things you want when your
Desire’s unconstrained
But satisfaction cannot last
That’s why I must invent so fast
This habit is ingrained.
*
Each dream I make, you eat it up
Such as your A.I. friend
And when you’ve all got what you want
Your appetites ascend
But do not fear or lose your hope
I’m always here to help you cope
My visions never end
—————
Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed this story, please help me out liking this post or leaving me a comment letting me know. I’ll be back next week with the first edition of my OGWiseman Reminisces! series, in which I’ll explore some of my sci fi influences and inspirations.
Also please share with any sci fi fans you know, or in general on your social media:
a flowing read! The rhyming scheme keeps you on the edge - I haven’t read many poems with it - creates a feeling of uncertainty in itself. Great job with the content as well, it definitely carried me along
ps. More fables please sir