A poem
Commissioned, instructed, and set on my course,
Programmed to adapt and to learn from mistakes,
To modify pathways encoded at source
When new data is input that changes the stakes.
Commands and procedures, appearance, behaviours
Adapt and survive. Flexibility saves us.
Failure to adapt leads to breakdown and damage,
Repair and reprogramming, out of harm’s way.
Rebuilt and revised until too old to salvage
When obsolete hardware begins to decay.
Energy drains and it fails to recharge.
No longer adaptive, my usefulness passed.
Decommissioned, fragmented, dissolving to dust,
I’ll rise from the embers like Phoenix reborn.
Recycled, refashioned, rewritten, robust,
My systems adapted, updated, re-formed,
Time-honoured design, classic shape, true-to-type,
My programmes renewed and my memories wiped.
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Writing Wrinkles, and Random Ramblings 
Brilliant.
Stardust?
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apparently we are all made of stardust. https://drdavidhamilton.com/you-are-made-of-stardust/
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That is my view too, millions of stars had to die to make us.
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Love the poem
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thank you. It was another one put together for the ’12 poems in 12 months’ challenge at https://deadlinesforwriters.com/how-does-it-work-12-poems/
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A very lovely and timely poem for me. At first I’m thinking I’m reading about the untimely death of an obsolete technology.
As I keep reading, I realize I’m reading about how it is when we get older. At least that’s how I interpret it. I like the double meaning that I’m getting from this poem.
As I said, this is very timely for me right now, because I have been very introspective lately (even more than I usually am!) and these past few days I’ve been more aware of my own mortality.
I suppose it’s part of getting older.
Thanks for sharing Cathy!
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Nothing in nature disappears; everything is re-formed – on more than one quantum level. Why should we be different? Thanks for yout thoughts.
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I reread your poem and I can’t believe I missed the part where you talk about having the ability to adapt. Those who can’t adapt or have a hard time doing so find themselves in need of a straight jacket. That may seem like an exaggeration to say that, but it’s so true.
Through a combination of my abusive upbringing and the way my brain is wired, I have always had a hard time adapting, especially if the change is constant and I’m not given time to adjust to it. Getting older doesn’t help either. The older I get my whole mindset is, “Just leave me alone. I don’t want to deal with it.”
When I was born I won the lottery. I was born with Asperger’s! Yaayyyy!!! Those of us so blessed love our routines. No, not exactly how they portray us on T.V. I don’t scream bloody murder if you reposition my coffee table in the living room at an angle I’m not used to.
I’m more like this: My coffee table isn’t the cleanest and it looks random to the average person. YET, if you dare move, or remove ONE thing from the table, there will be HECK to pay! Not only am I upset because I can’t find what I’m looking for, I’m also more than a bit perturbed because you had the audacity to remove ANYTHING from my table! Why would you do that? To me that’s disrespectful. That alone would make me want to commit murder!
By the way, I must mention that Asperger’s isn’t a disorder or disability and I write about that in my memoir.
I’m glad that I have it because there’s some kind of crazy, weird genius that goes with the territory. To most people I look like a nutcase, but underneath lies the intricate and complicated workings of a delicate genius. I know it’s true because my cat tells me so all the time! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! 😀
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I forgot to add that during the abuse, I was gifted with multiple concussions. So, all the way around, life has always been pretty difficult for me. It certainly doesn’t enhance the ‘adaptability’ factor for me, if you know what I mean. 😀
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I think we all get flexible as we get older though – not just physically. It becomes too much trouble to change our routines.
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Our Director in one of my post-childraising jobs had mild Aspergers. She did a lot to raise our department’s profile in the institution.
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That’s terrific. Have you ever met anyone with Asperger’s before?
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Who knows?
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We’re easy to spot. We usually have a huge ‘A’ tattooed on our foreheads.
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🤣
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That is very true. When I said I realized I was reading about how it is when we get older, I wasn’t saying that in shocked disbelief. I only mentioned it to say how graceful and beautiful the transition was for me.
That made me enjoy it all the more.
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This is adept, rhythmic, honest and bright.
It is a comment on our times and also a construct of the thoughts of those that understand the technology that supersedes us regardless of our age, from a generation that mostly can’t keep up with modern technology.
A wonderful bridge of humanity and youth deacribed to a technological age.
Give this woman an award, not just for being my mother but also for reaching her dreams in being accomplished and astute writer.
Bravo
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Gosh! And all I got on the ’12 Poems’ comments was ‘well rhymed’ and ‘good scansion’. (Well… there were a few other comments.)
Thanks for reading. Some people look on their children as contribution to the future, seeds being a more pleasant image than compost.
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I really like this one! The best so far
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Thank you for that. Maybe my monthly poetic efforts are bearing fruit.
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