Fingers stained
with ink red and black,
I set off to add to the sum.
The pen dried out
atop an unfinished page
as I swam to the siren,
did her bidding,
hunted and fought and vanquished,
rewarded each time
with rank and prestige
and new weapons.
I realized too late I was gaining the Sight.
I could see dead men walking.
I could spot a liar without knowing the lie.
I could see the lattice of patterns beneath
every word
every action
every thought
laid and flayed bare,
electricity dancing from raw nerves,
my chewed-off fingernail
tracing the course of particles
thought mere figments of Brownian motion.
I could read minds.
Awesome,
I presided,
wrought sense out of chaos
and justice out of lies,
my acquired prestige a currency
to spend dismantling each new phantasm.
The Sight whispered to me,
"memento mori".
I realized too late I was marked.
I set off inland,
oar over shoulder,
pen in hand,
and finally returned to the page,
but red ink read as blood,
black ink as soot.
Even a thousand leagues
from the sirens' shores,
my prizes stalked me
and I could not
not see new ones,
an innocent adversary
only distinguished
from a dogged pursuer
through the same Sight I sought to forsake.
I realized too late I was blinded
to the surface of the world.
In the mirror I saw my own tangled knot
and tried reflexively to trace its path
and solve a mystery I already knew.
I broke away and saw others and saw their essences
but could not see their faces.
I looked back and I could not see my own.
Discuss this story
I think there is something worthwhile being expressed here in Tamzin's poem about content work vs. drama boards, and human nature seen through the prism of Wikipedia collaboration.
It's worth noting that Wikipedia can easily lead to an unduly jaundiced view of human nature. Sometimes, it magnifies flaws and hides redeeming features that would be readily apparent if one sat around a table.
Long story cut short: I enjoyed the poem and hope I have understood at least part of what it was about.
--Andreas JN466 19:20, 5 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]
:)-- Tamzin[cetacean needed] (she|they|xe) 19:32, 5 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]What a feat, adding spots to the liars without dripping ink on the lies! :) -- SashiRolls 🌿 · 🍥 14:52, 7 October 2023 (UTC)[reply]