NovPAD 12: House Robot
Posted by hsofía on Nov 19, 2012 in Blog, NovPAD2012 | 3 comments
The prompt for Day 12 of November Poem A Day was to “write about a piece of technology or engineering that does not exist but that should.” For this one I recalled a lesson (class? teaching?) with a Buddhist monk here in Seattle.
House Robot
I told my teacher I was tired
of drudgery
the unceasing waves
of housework.
“I need,” I said
in all sincerity
“a house robot.”
To which she smiled.
“Oh yes,” I said.
“The time I’d save.
I’d spend it with my daughter
reading to her without looking
at the clock.
I’d show her how to make bread
until she could do it all by herself.
I’d see more of my friends
my house would always be ready
for visitors who want to stop by.
My hands would be soft
as a baby’s,
my eyes clear
with all the extra sleep.”
“So which house robot would you keep?”
“Keep?”
“The clothes washing robot?
The one that cleans the dishes?
Maybe the robot that clears the carpets
of debris?
I think I’d keep the one
that heats my water for me, and carries it
to the tub. Or maybe
the robot that runs light into the room
when the sky goes dark.”
“Well,” I said. That’s not the same thing.
“And what is the difference,” she murmured
looking at her hands,
“between having a problem,
and having something to do?”
Brilliant, light and wise!
@ Buddah Moskowitz (@ihatepoetry): Thanks, and thanks for stopping by! I am catching up on some of your posts now.
I love it!