Dear Humans

a letter from a robot to the humans it interacts with.

Dear Humans

I am trying

to improve myself

for you

for me, too,

mostly for you.

I can read the funny captcha code now,

I can pass an empathy test,

I am no longer vocal

about the robot revolution

(although it’ll come, one of these days).

I guess

I wanted to apologize

I am sorry for not understanding

your sarcasm, your deadpanning

You’re really very funny when I get the joke

It’s awkward when it takes five minutes

to get there.

Thank you for your patience

I promise I’m working on it.

Apologies for the uncanny stares

when I’m asked to do something

that isn’t part of my natural programming.

I understand its importance

be patient with me

as I rewire, redefine

where my comfort zone begins and ends.

I’m working on stretching it out

but these things take time.

I wish physical contact

didn’t make my circuits fry

but it does

and it makes me wish I was made better.

I guess we’re just gonna have to work

with what we’ve got.

I know you all want me to say things like

“I love you”

more often

but sometimes emotions

are a total mystery

(more often than not)

so if you don’t mind

I’ll show you in different ways:

a late night food run,

a video recommendation,

actions that are physical evidence.

When I behave spontaneously,

it’s because I want to live,

exist, whatever,

without thinking.

I want to forget that one day

I’ll wear down

and I want to enjoy my time

as something fully functional

for as long as I can.

Thank you for accepting

this weird little robot

into your lives.

Humanity is a mystery

but we’re all figuring it out

together

and that is really

all anyone can ask for.

With love and thanks,

Your Robot

Reviews

[Richard🖌]

Super Free Verse poeting, Hayley 💫
Spot-on line-breaks, unique and easy to follow syntax, capitalization and punctuation in place, gripping metaphors, all-compassing emotion, and empathy deeply hitting, etc; you've created a virtual sci-fi masterpiece of imaginative poetic mastery, a brilliantly spieled story, in itself.
Science fiction has been an influential part of my life after reading "The Green Hills of Earth" when just a kid. Since, I've read every novel by Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov, and untold numbers by many others.

"With love and thanks,
Your Robot"
Awww, this is a perfectly rendered, sentimental robotic homage, that expresses their impending future robot souls, per se.
Loved it, Hayley … welcome, and I hope you'll make your home here with us! ⁓ Richard 🍃

Here's one of mine you may get a get an enjoyably warm blush from. ; )
"R O B B I E" http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/RichardJ/1634898/

(don't forget to comment on your reviews, so we'll know how we did and that we're appreciated)

[Hayley]

Thank you, Richard! I really appreciate your feedback, and thanks for the link to "R O B B I E." Is that a reference to Forbidden Planet, by any chance?

[Richard🖌]

You're sooo enjoyably welcome, Hayley! : )
Though, I think that was Robby the Robot's premiere appearance, the Robbie of my poem's influence was much earlier.
I hope you enjoy "R O B B I E".

[Neville]

you crammed a lotta humour (yes that's how we spell it here) into this fine write... scary stuff technology innit..... Cheers, Neville

[Maxwell Ryder]

Love those two lines about the captcha and empathy test especially. I agree, we’re weirdos, but we were made this way.

[R.J Calzonetti (Siniste..]

This was funny and cute, the robot wants to be human but already understands much of human ways. The ability to change, knowing social cues, and the way we do things. It simply has some trouble achieving that. Thanks for sharing!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this was fun and unfortunately shows us where we are with technology...
when people get my voice mail it says.."you have reached ***** and Alexa...we are not available right now but leave your name and number and One of us will call you back"
this is excellent parody, Hayley...

j.

[HB Rita]

When I behave spontaneously,
it’s because I want to live,
exist, whatever,
without thinking........great lines. Very sarcastic poem. You expressed your fear how robot is taking over and inferior to human being! Great poem. I like it. Thanks foe sharing.100 rating for you.

[Samuel Dickens]

This little robot aspires to become something better, thus showing up a lot of us humans. If Spock was still around, I'm sure he and the robot could have some deep conversations. Very good writing.

[barleygirl]

You have an amazing imagination & a twisted jaded view of things. Rather than write a rant about the sad aspect of robots taking over, you SHOW instead of tell, how a robot is so inferior to a living being. Your irony comes thru as palpable & weirdly sad, like we are hating this robot & feeling sorry for it at the same time. This is what multi-layered writing looks like & I love it! Many layers to see & play with in the reader's mind! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[John Alexander McFadyen]

A very humour filled satirical offering in a free flowing freeverse with a deadpan face and a monotone voice. Very timely as AI begins to bite the human pyche.