transcendence

I.

on the last day in may
in the last recorded year
the final word was spoken
and the earth was silent


quiet

the draw of the machine was strong

one by one
humanity constructed new realities
as each individual soul
plugged into its own universe

electronic programs made love with the senses
whilst movements in metaspace
with the ease of a neurone
reciprocated affection

all that was known
danced with the ego
like planets in orbit with their sun


II.

in a handful of years
every system married its human
and with market matrimony through globalisation
the costs of production fought those of sanitation

neural networks
heralded as a triumph for human rights
offered a charitable answer to the suffering of the world


III.

when bliss became bore
the door to a new realm of software was opened
indulging the rich desires of the adult mind
or restoring the innocence of a child

the cruel depression that gripped humankind
could take its blunt hammers of despair
and batter animals
for all they could care

for the human race had no race to run
with time in the eye of the beholder

life no longer just witnessed
and dull windows that once presented the world
were replaced by waves of light
that stroked the retina with excruciating pleasure


IV.

occasionally the traveller would return to grey
to ensure the life support was ticking away
this was the greatest challenge
a triumph of wistful will

pills were consumed
fluid intake ceremoniously obeyed
a determined practice in an automated calm

there was no post on the floor
nor silhouettes of friends through the glass of the door
whilst the phone, obsolete
rested with an assured permanence


heaven was close


the trials of disconnection
overwhelmed the fragility of the new self
physical chill felt only in the visceral world
a place for disinterest, joylessness, pain and dust

twelve billion people chose not to separate from new existence

what was once normality, now a dark ocean void
whilst warm light shone on waves of pleasure
that nurtured the spirit
like the gentle lull of the womb


V.

the dreams became sweeter as the mind was denied
starvation brightened the lights
accentuated the colours
whilst delicate auras
surrounded apparitions in the program

electronic lovers' love was more tender
as the biocanvas on which they were painted
frayed at the edges

tactile sensations attained new heights of definition
as the frail-bodied landlords of the Earth
became touched with illness and infection

at the end, the white was so white
that lids could no longer protect the eye from its glare
yet emotions carried each one past
in a hearse of euphoria

VI.

now the planet had no name
and the destructive force no face
in the blink of a cosmic eye
there was nothing that could remember

humankind a jigsaw for the future
with its pieces lost and scattered
for millions of revolutions round the sun

there may come a day
when a picture appears
in front of very different eyes