Cuckoo

The bigger egg, the louder peep,

the wider gape: the cuckoo’s trick,

irresistible.

Chimpanzees twig grubs from a log,

gulls drop pebbles onto oyster shells,

Neanderthals chip flints to cut their meat…

Homo sapiens builds the trebuchet.

The tool’s but a step towards machines:

crossbow, tank, machine gun, missile, drone.

Our cars, our trains, container ships and planes –

who walks, if not for fun or keeping fit?

You want to see machines? Ask a farmer.

Machines feed us – we feed them oil.

Take stock of your house and garden shed –

strimmers, hedge-trimmers, blowers & mowers.

We’re hooked into mechanical dependence –

now we toy with mind machines… A.I

The faster trip, heavier load,

grow more food, win our wars,

irresistible.

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