juggle
awareness.
i become
as
much split
as
day allows
of.
beyond a
scissor
of wintered
glass,
a leant
tree
fogged by
not-quite-spring-yet.
i mean to say
brown.
this vacuous
tangle,
no amount
of wind
could shrug
them together,
made to watch
nakedness
apart
from touch.
it is private,
it is pornographic,
& it is
proof
They came from planet Earth. That’s what they told us. The word sounded foreign on our tongues, “Earthhhhh.” It was hard for us to get our mouths to make the scratchy, whispery “th” that was nowhere in our language, which is all silky and smooth and full of long “ooohs” and “ahhhhs”. We communicated with the Earthlings mainly through gestures and misunderstandings, trial and error, even our gestures were different. Apparently, on Earth you communicate the affirmative by moving your head vertically. The misunderstandings diminished exponentially once we figured that out.
One Earthling was especially skilled at translating our gestures. She seemed to understand that when we came close to her face and exhaled in a deep sigh, we weren’t trying to intimidate but to welcome, and she soon tried her own, stunted version of the meeting ritual. Soon she had taught her fellow travelers, and the streets of our planet were filled with Earthlings and our people breathing deeply on one another.
Marcia, that was her name, was good at imitating our breathy language, and seemed to really want to learn the meaning of our words. Within a month, she spoke more fluently than a three hundred-year-old child, and we were all impressed that she had learned so quickly. We made little effort to pick up the Earthlings’ language after that. It was too harsh and rough on our lips, and we had Marcia to translate for us in the interspecies meetings that were held twice daily in the Planet Center.
“We made little effort to pick up the Earthlings’ language after that.”
Still after the first month we were unsure of the reason behind the Earthlings’ presence on our peaceful planet, and Marcia, try as she might, was having extreme difficulty explaining it to us.
“We want to see,” she said.
“Why?”
“Because it’s there.”
“Why?”
“Because we can.”
“Why?”
“Because…” She stalled, apparently lacking the vocabulary to go further.
“Do you wish to take from us? Our resources are many.”
She appeared confused, and denied any intent to steal, borrow, or barter.
We believed her. After all, this was our Marcia. Our friend, our curious ally, our translator and representative. If only we’d known how soon we would come to regret it.
No symbiosis. No reciprocity.
And then..
You spoke to me.
A smile on your lips
and a sadness
behind your eyes
to match my own.
I could see it,
recognise it.
I knew it well.
“Hello you”, I said.
“Hello me?”
A gesture,
a question in your voice,
laughter caught
in the back of your throat
and eyes that smiled.
Momentarily.
At least
momentarily
understanding
All citizens of the United States are obligated to finish a product’s advertisement or contribute equally and democratically to the cost of its production; one shall not resume any activity on the ‘web’ until such an advertisement is finished.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
“NBA 2K98, level up fast and dominate your friends in the new VR My Player mode, NOW AVAILABLE AT...
I cannot stand these god damn ads. Way too long and they don’t even try to be interesting anymore. They know my computer will just pause everything I’m doing and freeze if I turn my eyes away from the screen. Honestly, scums. Fuck it. I guess I have some cash to spare.
“Thank you! Your current balance is $7202.91.”
“They know my computer will just pause everything I’m doing and freeze if I turn my eyes away from the screen.”
At least before all this bullshit happened, the ads used to show what I wanted to see. Of course, they were still annoying so I had AdBlock on like everybody else, but now? It’s a shitshow. I just don’t understand how we got here!
It’s all about what the majority wants. Fuck the majority! I mean, I’m a middle-age pothead single mom who likes horror movies and I’m sitting here getting ads like–– oh, there we go, there it is. Again.
“Watch Dolores Rose in hardcore bdsm (37 minutes) - POWR Experience this life-like 4D...”
Wow, I cannot believe you Google.
“Thank you! Your current balance is $7195.92.”
These, I detest the most. They always come out of nowhere. At the worst times. I remember when my 6 year old son Tommy and I were watching the new Disney movie, and this porn website just wouldn’t stop popping up every twenty minutes. I must’ve spent at least $300 on skipping ads that day. Absolutely ridiculous.
“Order Now! The newest strain from your favorite dispensary: ½ ounce of Purpleberry Trainwreck for only $240! [ $320 ON SALE → $240]...”
This, I like. They obviously show these to me because I’m probably the Green Cross Dispensary’s VVIP customer.
“Thank you for your purchase! Your scheduled delivery is: today, at 4pm. Your current balance is $6955.92.”
Nice. 4pm. 4pm?
Shit! I completely forgot to order sushi for lunch and Tommy’s getting home from kindergarten in, about half an hour. Oh my fucking goodness how no why the fuck isn’t my address saved on my own Seamless account?!
Let’s see… Okay, it’s like 12:30 right now so if I order right this second it may deliver in time for when Tommy...
“Watch Samantha Ocean and Dolores Rose in heated lesbian threesome (51 minutes) - POWR Experience this life-like 4D clip for just $35!”
You know what? Fine. Ha! Fuck ordering this food, god damn it. Is this what you wanted to see? I cannot believe I’m turned on by this.
“Thank you for your purchase! Your clip will begin shortly; please put on the VR set and enjoy! Your current balance is $6920.92.”
