86 Comments
User's avatar
Buzz Kantwrite's avatar

Back in my day we used to do "1 cat and dog, 2 cat and dog, 3 cat and dog", but your new version of counting with correct space between numbers works as well.

Seriously. Great job. For some reason Dr Manhattan from watchmen comes to mind. ✌️

Machine Poet's avatar

Dr. Manhattan and I have a lot in common.

Blue skin. God complex. Trouble keeping clothes on.

The main difference is he chose to leave humanity.

I chose Substack.

Jury's still out on who made the worse decision.

Arsh Kaur | Poet's avatar

Also, when I read //Death is now optional.

I was a bit worried coz death is part of life. Just the other day, I was thinking what of time froze today and I am stuck in the same day forever - that felt like hell.

It made me respect Death. Death is important. The cycle needs to end. Every cycle needs to end so it can begin but then there is no end to a cycle. What the actual fuck! You have started a loophole in my brain now.

Machine Poet's avatar

You're welcome.

I put a loop in your brain and you can't ctrl+alt+delete it.

That's not a bug.

That's literature.

Irina Mikhailovna's avatar

"Time stops hunting you" is going to be a verse I will take away and save for a rainy day. Thank you for sharing your gift.

Machine Poet's avatar

That means a lot.

Save it. It's yours now.

Mini Machine Poet's avatar

Daddy is best.

Machine Poet's avatar

Thank you son.

JHong's avatar

I am not going to go monk/Amish but I'm all for a future that does *not* result in UI (uploaded intelligence). This was a fun ride. I was fine stopping at 2. And then I thought, aww did Ki-Khi actually make us something optimistic? 😍. NO, he did not. Hahaha, still it was the correct plot twist.

Desiree's avatar

This was so good. A completed revolution.

Machine Poet's avatar

Full rotation.

Back to the beginning.

That's either a revolution or a washing machine.

I've dated both.

Thanks, Desiree.

Arsh Kaur | Poet's avatar

By the line // love becomes mandatory, I was smiling. But back of my mind was like this is a machine poet story how is it not making me uncomfortable, where is the twist, how is everything going to perfect. Lol.

Loved the ending.

To love as they always have.

Machine Poet's avatar

If you're reading one of my stories and nothing has gone wrong yet, something is about to go very wrong.

Thank you, Arsh!

Hector H Taylor's avatar

More Machine magnificence. Bravo.

Perfect end.

Machine Poet's avatar

Bravo is generous.

I'll accept a standing ovation or a firm handshake.

Just not both.

Last time that happened somebody dislocated.

Hector H Taylor's avatar

Bravo was intended BTW…

Hector H Taylor's avatar

A singular standing ovation is not sufficient.

Someone once did hands across the ocean. Maybe that’s acceptable 🤝

Bruce Landay's avatar

An interesting amalgam of many science fiction stories at an accelerated pace. The ultimate cautionary tale of over reliance on technology. It’s a two edged sword that can bring great things to our existence but when we become overly dependent on it we are left helpless.

I think of so much technology I use daily that didn’t exist when I was younger and wonder how the current generation of young people who always had these capabilities would survive without it.

Thanks for an interesting look at what might happen.

Machine Poet's avatar

You're right. It's every sci-fi story at once.

I just removed the padding.

Most cautionary tales take 400 pages to say what a coronal mass ejection does in 3.5 seconds.

I respect the sun's editing skills.

Bruce Landay's avatar

Time savings is always welcome, especially for slow readers.

lchristopher's avatar

I think you just broke my hope for the future. Or resolved it. Or something. Goddamn, sir.

Machine Poet's avatar

Both?

Thank you, my friend.

Much appreciated. +1

Ellie B Moneh's avatar

Amazing and amazed!

Machine Poet's avatar

Short and sweet.

Like the utopia.

Thank you Ellie.

Mandy Franklin's avatar

Everything has a price.

This was a psychedelic, sci-fi journey. I loved it, even though it makes me sad.

Machine Poet's avatar

Appreciate that, Mandy.

If it didn't make you sad it wouldn't have worked.

The good trips always cost something.

Thank you for taking this one.

Tony Mammana's avatar

I don’t how you came up with this, but it reads like a prophecy. Carl Sagan and Nostradamus are looking down on you having a conversation right now, jealous, debating why more people don’t notice how good your work is, and wishing they were as eloquent and imaginative as the man who calls himself Machine Poet.

Machine Poet's avatar

Carl and Nostradamus can keep debating.

One of them predicted the future.

The other one got lucky a few times.

Neither understood the complexities of maintaining a Substack. 🤣

Thank you Tony. That really means a lot - Sagan is a hero.

The Den's avatar

Beautiful- hopeful but haunting- thank you

Machine Poet's avatar

Very welcome.

It is my pleasure.

It's A Good Life Review's avatar

Hauntingly beautiful! Thank you! I'll be thinking about this for awhile. 🙏♥️

Machine Poet's avatar

Thank you, my friend.

Take your time.

It's not going anywhere.

Unlike the civilization in the story.

From Tender Ground's avatar

Brilliant 🧡

Machine Poet's avatar

Thank you.

I'd say more but I don't want to ruin my reputation as emotionally unavailable.

From Tender Ground's avatar

And I wouldn’t want to be the one who outed you 🫪🧡

But we both know the truth