our friend the machine

the machine
it's not so bad
one of the best friends
I ever had

the machine
knows what we need,
the machine
won't make us bleed

the machine packs us
into trite coffeehouses
and conditions us
till we enjoy it,
teaches us to find
the area of a rectangle,
how to dissect a poem,
the melody of the star-spangled banner,
to love or hate Marx and Engels

the machine
knows what we'll say
before we say it,
the machine will help
us spell it,
the machine will help
us think it;
the machine thought it up
in the first place

the machine strongly encourages
rebellion against the machine.
it really wants to learn
about spirit and grace
but only in the pre-approved format
according to schedule

the other day
I had a funny dream
and woke up to realize
we're all the machine