what are we
but a light encased in stardust skin
that gives a heartbeat to
what hands create in pleasure?

behind the curtain
with wire cutters and cash
the great wizard and doctor work
to assemble a circuit board of thought
a mega brain
that consumes what is not consented
an artist’s brush
eclipsed by thousands of megapixels
a healer’s hands
cut clean off by the edge of industry

as the pods absorb the last of our light
we go quietly into the gas chamber
and our stardust turns to ash
underneath the barren earth

will the mega brain know
what we were?

This was written by our contributing writer, Brittany Studer.