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The Program

For W. Gregory Stewart and ‘Robo-Ben’


Once upon a workshift dreary, while I programmed, bleak and bleary,
Stationed at the hard-drive terminal just inside my cubicle door,
While I plodded, nearly napping, there rose a fearful, whirring clacking,
A sound like demons gleefully wracking, racking as in days of yore;
“It’s just a glitch,” I softly muttered, “just a glitch in the memory core;
                    Only that, and nothing more.”

Ah, distinctly I remember how, like a distant fading ember,
My server-file refused to send or call my cursor to the fore;
I lost the file I had created, my monitor grew dim and faded,
The malignant-eyed computer made a dismal sputter, just before
It spat one time, then blinked, and then resumed as it had been before.
                    It was a glitch, and nothing more.

Or so it seemed. But when I called the file I had assiduously hauled
From planetfall to planetfall, defining my parameters for
The requisite restructuring of cells, of blood, of functioning
Anatomy for landfall cloning, cloning tissues as they were;
Then, then!—my God!—the empty spaces that glowed where I had been before!
                    Only that…and nothing more.

And then I saw the program shifting, each backlit column clearly lifting
External data, clearly sifting through the sentient options. Nor,
With that content, terminating its random matches, random matings
Of gene with gene, recalibrating tissue textures that I wore—
Recalculating planes and tissues in the body that I wore—
                    Changing forms… and something more.

Squint-eyed, peering at the data, poring through white-static strata,
I struggled not to estimate a shape my spirit would abhor;
My fingertips…despairing, flying…praying that the file was lying,
I punched the program, deeply sighing for the peace I’d known before;
“Let it be a disk-drive error,” I whispered, damp in every pore:
                    The cursor spelled out: Nevermore!”

I stared at the configuration, at the bitnet simulation
Of the imminent manifestation planned for me by the memory core;
I saw the horrid, pallid features of the craven, driven creature,
Of that rhymester over-reacher resurrected from before—
I saw his haunted features and the look of madness that he bore:
                    “Not that!” I pleaded, “nevermore!”

But the program, never veering, kept revising and repairing
Until I saw his visage peering red-eyed with its gimlet gore—
“I do not want this verbal horror! I do not want to mourn Lenore or
Ulalume, or spend my furor in this rhyming, pounding roar!
Re-program me!” I cried—demanded!—and fainted against the cubicle door
                    When the cursor spelled out: “Nevermore!”

* * *

And now I’ve lived through three more missions, felt my atoms twist and fission,
Found myself in this position, huddled over a computer core—
Three times I’ve found myself a craven coward seeking for a haven,
Surcease from that metric Raven that pounds within me o’er and o’er—
From this ranting, chanting versing, from this meter I abhor:
                  Quoth the program: “Nevermore.”

So I wear his black mustaches; so I dream that I may slash his
Image…pray that I can crash this program’s jingling, jangling core—
So I sit with fingers curling on the keyboard, data swirling,
All my energies unfurling to make me as I was before.
Done! Press Enter! That should do it! Make me as I was before!
                  But the screen gloats, “Nevermore.”

Author notes

Pastiche: Inspired by Poe's "The Raven."

A contest entry

Please tell me what you think

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Comments

1 - 12 of 12

  • The Fun House silver member
    July 18

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    Fantastically creative and well done. I must say it takes a unique perspective and really grabs your attention which is a wonderful thing indeed. Well done indeed.


  • Roaddog Wolf
    May 6, 2008

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    I found this to be very refreshing especially considering the old worn over Raven and Poe rendition but you did a great job and I like the old verses the modern age feeling that this presented good write

    Thanks for your entry and good luck to you in the contest.
    xxx


  • dp robertson
    March 17, 2008

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    When Goth and Nerd combine.

    More nerd than Poe and definitely more literate and witty than most. This was a pleasant surprise although I would suspect in similar circumstances, Poe would throw a whiskey bottle through the screen in drunken frustration. Parodies of the Raven have of course been done to death so for this to even stand up in amongst such a crowd and look both fresh and original takes some doing.

  • Dwaine-Tiger-Rawr
    February 26, 2008
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    That is one of the best pieces I have read in ages. I really enjoyed the homage to "The Raven", and the way you managed to create the write about an issue like a malfunctioning computer (albeit a seemingly possessed one...) was just...superb!

    Truly awesomely amazing

    Tiger


  • beautiful-sadness
    February 21, 2008
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    okay... everyone is missing the 3 stanza thing. but this is beautiful and good luck!


    • micol
      February 26, 2008
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      I apologize for not getting back to you with thanks for the silver and for hosting the contest...life intruded. So--belatedly--many thanks for all of your effort in the contest.


  • Polaja Greeters member
    January 28, 2008

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    This is an amazing poem... I really like how you have written it in the form of the Raven so well... the way you told the stroy was more than impressive - best of luck in the contests you enter... I'm not at all surprised that you won gold

    Keep writing

    Polly

    • micol
      January 28, 2008
      Edit | Reply
      Thank you very much. It was great fun trying to follow Poe's footsteps...and much more of a challenge than I would have imagined. Writing this really made me appreciate the artistry of "The Raven."


  • ravensgift
    November 22, 2007

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    This was a perfect 'modern day Raven'... I loved it and it had me laughing. Now I am going to share it with my husband who will Laugh because, he is a data technician... Congratulations


  • Barefoot poet
    November 20, 2007
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    Great modernised version of 'The Raven', and you kept up the ryhme throughout. Only one thing, it seemed to slip on the third verse, maybe it was just the way I read it but... Anyway, this was a brilliant poem, very enjoyable, despite the frustration and exasperation expressed in it!


  • Bitter Irony
    November 14, 2007

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    Wow! You have some impressive rhyming and metric skills. Excellent work!

    Thanks for entering the contest, and good luck!

    ~Bitter Irony


  • lil-purple-pixi
    August 29, 2007
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    Lol i love this, the raven is a poem which is good but overated and i loved your version of this, i was very impressed at how well you managed to maintain the original structure and rhyme and even maintain the same feel. Anyway great poem and very funny.
    -Amy

1 - 12 of 12