Tonight's Poet Corner: A.I. Market

A.I. Market

by Belinda Roddie

choose your robot

choose its name

choose its skin color

and hair color

choose the shape of

its eyes, the hue of

its eyes, the clarity

of its eyes, the emotion

in its eyes

choose its wardrobe

(it'll wear the same thing

every fucking day)

choose its job

choose its chores

choose its schedule

draw everything up

on paper

then expect it to memorize

everything like the metal

sponge it is

choose its room

give it a bed

(not a comfortable one

why would it need that?)

make it dance

make it sing

make it cook

and definitely

make it clean

make it promise you

that you're worth something

while it sits like a lump

in a small space

hoping

that you have good dreams