A telephone wire cut.
Something's wrong inside my head.
The thing is, I don't know just what.

Chirping alarms
Whirring fans
Smoky smells
Red. Blinking. Lights.

A robot whose been programmed wrong,
An exposed sparking wire.
The buttons don't click all the way.
Hazardous, watch for fire.

Danger
Danger
Danger
Do not approach

This automatic switch is supposed to make me excited
This one makes a genuine smile.
Nobody notices, though, that I'm on manual control
And have been for a while.

Overheating
Overworking
Overdoing
Over

Electricity and buttons and wires
Do not mix well with water, I think.
But because I'm in desperate need of repair
I'm in constant thirst for a drink.

"Should have bought that extended warranty."
"Did you turn it off and on again?"
No.
No. Because it's broken.

Hard drive shorting
Lights are blinking
And I'm thinking
My last thoughts exporting

Crackling
Clicking
Clattering
Clanking
Clunking

The only thing that works well anymore
Is the part that goes through the motions.
Perseverance is my constant notion
As I burn myself out on the shore.

It's hot to the touch.
Back off.
Soon, it might Explode

p  o  p  !
goes the
eyes   of
a
goddess
when   in
her hand
laid    the
mirror.

no    such
reflection
she    had
looked­ at,
like a still
before her
—
where  is
the pearl
complex-
ion she'd
smooth-
ened out
f     o     r
herself  ?
where  is
the   eyes
she    had
s   e   e  n
herself th
rough for
the    past
century  ?


"what is
t   h  i  s
malfun-
ction ? "

s  h  e
asked.


"it  is  the
i m a g e
of  souls,
d  e  a  r
goddess.
it  shows
n  o  n  e
but    the
t r u t h,"

said   the
y o u n g
daedalus.


the    dear
goddess
laughed.
a       mere
m o r t a l,
pondered
the  immo-
rtal,    who
d  a  r  e  s
tell        me
who i am ?

she  took  an
other     look
at   her   own
i   m   a   g   e
—
the   too   pale
skin   and   it's
monotonous
effect   on   her
bland         face
—
and           then,
she     smashed
the       imagery
of      her    own

s                            l.
   o          u