The Robot

October 6, 2010 4:57 PM

A musical Poem.

The Robot

Upon the stairway of despair,
complete with broken love affairs
and promises that never came,
but faded with a touch of shame,
a pretty girl with golden hair
and innocence so sadly rare,
strove to keep her head above
a way of life devoid of love.

Feeling pinned against Life's wall,
she chanced upon a Robot tall
snd said, "Please come and share with me
whatever Fate has deemed to be.
I'm through with love, and done with chances
spirit crushed by past romances,
just be a friend in word and deed.
that's all that I shall ever need."

"There's not too much from me to learn,"
remarked the Robot, in return.
"emotions do not form a part
of my cold, solid-steel heart.
Whatever maker fashioned me
did not permit my circuitry
responsiveness to love or pain -
you're thoughts for me would be in vain."

"No matter", spoke the maid. "No more
do I wish passion to explore.
be someone I can come home to
when my exhausting day is through.
count yourself a well-worn shoe -
a friend that I can slip into . . .
protection from a stone cold floor . . .
for this I ask and nothing more."

Agreement made, he took her hand
and lived the life that she had planned,
always willing, not demanding,
aiding her with understanding
made her smile with humorous wit
(As his restrictions would permit)
and, bit by bit, she came to feel
that he was more than iron and steel.

"I love you, Robot", she at last
Replied when several months had passed.
"You're strength and quiet dignity
have brought a wondrous change in me.
no more do I feel all alone,
and pray you must be flesh and bone.
deep-set emotions you must feel
within that outer coat of steel!"

"If I were able, I would say
I'm sorry I was made this way
but my design and programmation
does not provide for that creation
of feelings normal men may feel
that were not born of iron and steel.
I told you all this once before.
you have no right expecting more."

"Go, then!" cried she. "I will not live
beside a fiend who cannot give!
Though I be battered by misuse,
misguided trust and strong abuse,
at least the men I chose were real
and had the power to love and feel.
of all the lovers I recall,
you are the cruelest one of all!"

The robot, indestructible,
continues freely and at will.
emotionless, apparently,
but, bearing closer scrutiny,
one can see a small tear streak
down that cold, metallic cheek
As he reflecst upon a non- life . . .
that lovely one, would be his wife.

posted by Disbro (6 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite

Wow, Disbro, that was really nicely written and really well performed! Really great fun to listen to. This is the best thing since when they used to play Vincent Price doing Edgar Allen Poe on the radio for Halloween!

You should add "scary" and "mefimusicchallenge" tags on this. It's perfect for the challenge!
posted by snsranch at 6:39 PM on October 6, 2010


This kicks ass.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:12 PM on October 6, 2010


Thank you. The poem is by Michael Mack, with a slight re-write by me, and I wrote him for permission to do what I did with it. Glad you like the effort, I'm big into recording my own music, and love radio theater - I thought it merited both when I originally read the poem. It's a bit of a different sort of thing for me, but it was really fun to do. Not to mention that it sadly reminds me of a certain female who treated me like a robot in my own life, and sadly could never be happy with what is. I think the poem is truly genius, and my contribution was to just paint another picture with it.
posted by Disbro at 8:24 PM on October 6, 2010


I found myself wondering what your voice will sound like in 40 years. This did have a Vincent Price feel to it without the lilting aspects.

I really dig spoken word stuff.
posted by cjorgensen at 7:37 AM on October 7, 2010


If I'm still around in 40 years I'll be 92. So you'll probably won't hear a darn thing!
posted by Disbro at 1:00 PM on October 7, 2010


Intense. I liked it a lot. It draws you in, I couldn't stop listening.
posted by abc123xyzinfinity at 9:40 PM on October 17, 2010


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