[W T Clark]

I've recently rediscovered this poem. It is exquisite. It is the first poem written by a robot before there were robots; and yet, the living robot of its narrator is truly algorithmic. It might be clearer to say that it is robotic, but that does not entirely capture the nightmare circle of its circuitry. It is The Waste Land in 14 lines; it does what Rimbaud wanted of his poetry, in that it is entirely modern; in this way it is terrifying. And, lastly, it has savage, shocking techné, which adds to the searingness of its moralism.

http://www.thejamjar.com/blog/2004/1...-de-vivre.html