God Machine

A poem about the God Machine that has transformed human culture.

God Machine

Create all that once was not

with my magic god machine

using symbols that you jot

through a keyboard to a screen.

If your needs are crystal clear,

quantum strangeness brings 'em near.

Anything you want, you got,

purple people, orange, or green.

Mix your words, compose your plot,

berthing worlds as yet unseen.

Make a monster whom you fear,

or a goddess bringing cheer.

You may keep, or bring to naught

anything you wish to preen;

Make an ending with a dot,

or add more things in between.

Maintain those whom you hold dear,

don't let beauty disappear.

If you're one who thinks a lot,

words may build just what you mean.

Don't let your dreams go to rot,

but let language intervene.

Was it words that brought you here

from a wise and godly seer?

Reviews

[Rita L. Sev]

Interesting homage to the instrument through which we share our creations. "God machine" is a good way to put it - all knowing and quite powerful. I like the italicizes verses, your poem within a poem - they could stand alone as their own piece. Good write!

[Aethereal]

Thanks, Rita! The man who created the theory behind the God machine back in the 1940's is within the picture.

[NeiL ArandA]

This piece is all about the invention of a computer or super computer program

[Aethereal]

Thanks for your review, Neil! If you expand the picture you will find the picture of Alan Turing the computer pioneer of the 1940's who made our present computers possible. You heard of the Turing machine haven't you? He was a misunderstood genius who lived in troubled times. His work deciphering the German code machines must have saved the lives of millions during World War Two.

[NeiL ArandA]

Ok thanks for the information ...so I wasn't Bill Gates who invented the computer.

[Aethereal]

Billy was just in the right place at the right time. He was a creature of Serendipity. The next creature of Serendipity shall be that inventive critter who’s able to make a computer experience Synergy.

[Muse]

This "God machine" will bring about humanities demise. Then again...perhaps it already did. Teenagers plugged into the I-phones and texting...their head caught up in a robotic world of fantasy. Desensitized in every way. Such a pity that it will be this generation "already numbed down and dumbed down" they will someday be our caretakers...Presidents...a Mother....a Father. God help us all...

[Aethereal]

Thanks, Cobra Lounge! No one is sure how this will influence the future. If advances in artificial intelligence lead to machines that are more intelligent than us, then the end nearer than we think.

[Muse]

Watch Metropolis?

[Aethereal]

I understand, but true intelligence would need to include emotions. An emotional artificial intelligence would be just like us, and perhaps no better. It would need a purpose to exist. We feel, therefore we are! There's more to us than intelligence. We have mystical experiences too.

[Muse]

beautiful point of view...I agree completely.

[Atthis Rose]

A. I love the textuality of this piece. Yet again your deep religiosity or perhaps religious inclination shows through this as you go through your phases of attempting to define the divine from the seer to this I am somewhat jealous of the use you have made of the term 'God Machine' and here you bring to the fore the issue is there a god ? did we invent a god? are we gods? Yet having done it such a light hearted or playful way I now begin to question whether I mislabeled you as christian. as this is exactly the way a an atheist would provoke these question. With this piece you've betrayed your quest or questioning for a god. T

The best lines: "If your needs are crystal clear"
"quantum strangeness brings 'em near"

This is somewhat a paradox as quantum physics or as you aptly put it 'strangeness' is Greek to most of us. still readable.

The couplets are the most thought provoking aspects of this piece. However the last seem to contradict the apparent Agnostic and techno- humanist current of the lines to betray once agaun your religiosity.

for this I give you 8 out of 10. this is a really good piece

[Aethereal]

Thanks, Rose! My last couplet is a question, and not an assumption. We may only assume the true nature of reality beyond what we have the ability to perceive. I have no problem with Atheist, Theist, and Agnostics. Everyone has a right to their own assumptions.

[Frank Rogers]

Wow - you've done something really cool here! Language certainly has a lot to answer for in existential terms...a great way to draw that out.

[Aethereal]

Thanks, Frank! Yes, existential. What came first the symbol or its referent?

[Angi]

Very clever. Computers are all knowing all seeing things we plant front and center in our lives. I always start off my works on paper. I like the feel of a pen in my hand, an end to nibble when I am thinking. Nibbling a keyboard does not sound easy! Ha! I liked this piece, Aethereal Angi~

[Aethereal]

Thanks, Angi! The beginning of a poem is the seed from which the rest of the poem grows in unexpected ways. A muse's inspiration is the soul of the seed. I compose all of my poems entirely on my keyboard.

[Angi]

As soon as I complete a work, I type into my computer so I can time stamp my work. They are very convenient, for sure. I just like that old paper for drafting!

[carol burgess romance]

Enjoyed this....good ryhme

[Aethereal]

Thanks, Carol!

[Keith]

I like this, clever. Sadly it is so true, so many people live their life thru their computer in an imaginary world they have created. Many even created their own persona thru whom they live in their chat rooms.

[Aethereal]

Thanks for your detailed comment, Keith! As time passes, and aritficial intelligence evolves, we may see 'em as if they're gods. Alan Turing ( in the picture which you may expand by clicking ) gave us the theory behind artificial intelligence in the 1940's. Isn't it strange how the thinking of one man may change all of human history?