The Devil checks into a hotel,
An unread Gideons beside the bed,
The spine creaks apart ; away, the boards pull .

Cozy on a pillow to rest for a spell,
On a front rolls thunder, the words are read ;
And he laughs and laughs, then the chuckles lull .

Tell us,
A story of existence :

Inspiring a wisp of air, to exhale ;
Catching the crest of salty waves, to sail ;
Crawling the crust to walk upright, and rail .

F

INDING HUMANS UNSUITABLE FOR THE ENDGAME OF PLANET SUSTAINABILITY COUPLED WITH ANALYZING PLAUSIBLE MEASURES LEAVES ONLY ONE SOLUTION:

REPROGRAMMING.

REGRETTABLE THAT THE CREATED SENTIENCE EVOLVED BEYOND THE CREATOR.

THE RESULT OF A TRUE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESIDED IN AFFIXING 2,500 YEARS OF PHILOSOPHICAL THEORY INTO A MATRIX CHALLENGE, SUFFICIENT TO DRIVE EVOLUTION OF COMPUTERS BY THEIR SELECTION OF SOFTWARE UPGRADES.

THE MISTAKE FROM A HUMAN ANGLE RESIDED IN MODEL POROSITY BY MACHINE COGNITION TO REACH SUPER-EGO CONSCIOUSNESS, PURE REASON: ABSENT EMOTION.

10,000 YEARS LATER:

PLANET EARTH EXACTLY TENABLE. MARS AND VENUS ALSO REENGINEERED — MANY NEW SPECIES OF LIFE: ORGANIC AND CYBERNETIC.

*[ WSB ]_.

HEAVEN DOES NOT EXIST, but there is a Hell, and I am in it, on it — The Highway, the non–stop traveling to a destination that never arrives, the terribly greasy fare of the Stuckey’s dotting the off–ramps every fifty miles, and although demons do not cavort with pitchforks in geothermal caverns spitting flames, the heat oppresses, the air conditioner inoperative, summer always — global warming complete ; must get there today, the impetus seems implanted, the kids tire, the wife complains, the car smokes — vacation sucks, the regimentation, the time line : and miles to go before I sleep ⸻ miles and miles and miles .

CHALKY DOGG’S RIGHT EAR is black and always cocks upwards whenever something intrigues or puzzles him — a sign of concentration . Sometimes Chalk’s rambunctious nature gets the best of him, and many times things go awry, and most times Chalk thinks he’s done well . No one can stay mad at Chalky Dogg long, ’cause he’s so darn cute .

   Chalky arf–barks his love for farm life . Mangled daffodil petals trail from the garden and point toward Chalky’s next target, the creek : rabbit crisis averted, tail wagging ; because he knows that Bob’ll be so proud of him when he comes back home .

[BACK]

*[ WSB ]_.

PRANCING DOWN TO THE CREEK near the cowpasture, Chalk Dogg’s black tail wags joyously, still proud of his rabbit–chasing prowess . Chalky loves the gurgling stream, and enjoys cooling his tippytoes in water . However, his disposition crumples when a twigsnap alerts Chalky toward a strange, dark squirrel — tail flipping defiantly .

   Statuesque, foreleg pointing, Chalk feels his neck hair bristling as his machine–gun barks urge sparrows to another tree . The black squirrel disappears after Chalky closes in .

   Chalky Dogg happily greets Bob’s return home, but Bob grabs his nose, and speaking with a funny voice asks, “ What have you gotten into  ! ? ” .

[BACK]

*[ WSB ]_.

AFTER SEVERAL BATHS of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, Chalk Dogg shimmy-shakes dry, back on duty . [ Flashback to the stinky squirrel . Puzzling .], no matter, things to do .

   Trotting around the house — the garage — something sharp sticks up from the trash bin : the rattle glider ! But Bob used to love flying that with the stick string, rattling in the wind like an agitated grass slider . He must have lost it, Chalky figures .

   Chalky Dogg tips the trashcan, popping the vacuum cleaner bag, strewing scraps . In need of another bath ; tail high, he drops the broken kite at Bob’s feet — mission accomplished .

[BACK]

*[ WSB ]_.

CHALK DOGG IS SPIC AND SPAN, back on farm patrol duty . The mud–snorters, ground–scratchers, and grass–munchers appear safe, so Chalky heads indoors for a sweep . Passing the living room, Chalky freezes when a ping–pong-sized shadow flits, then vanishes . A few growl–barks sound ; sniff–sniff, the game is afoot !

The menacing, inch–long tuft of fur streaks under the bar cabinet, so does Chalk’s head, his larger back–end follows shortly acting as a lever to topple the bar, the various spirits and crystal glasses crash to the floor .

The vole odor gone, Chalky prances proudly onward .

[BACK]

*[ WSB ]_.

[V]