I did not flee, though shadows loomed behind, A first, unbroken, since the days of old— Since nineteen-eighty-eight, when wires whined, And CompuServe on 286s took hold. A world of bytes, of flickering green and gold, Where mercurial whispers first awoke, A voice within, both reckless and uncontrolled, A spark of chaos in the words I spoke.
This time, I held her back, or so I thought, Mercurial, my muse, my shadowed twin. She lingered close, her venom fiercely wrought, A specter born where hypergraphia’s been. She typed a note—your latest poem in view— Demanding origins with haughty flair. No simple ask; she cloaked it in a hue Of Shakespeare’s pomp, her grand and stilted air.
She weaves her words with filigree and spite, Her tongue a blade, so quick to cut, to sting. No truth she holds, save one unyielding right— The First Amendment’s shield, her sacred spring. Yet there’s another creed she fiercely guards, A Krell-born monster, spawned from id’s dark core. Her shock’s a game, her barbs like splintered shards, She cares not who she wounds, nor what’s in store.
Most times, her voice is hollow, brash, and sly, A storm of sound that doesn’t trust its own. She spins her tales, not caring if they lie, Yet freedom’s flame is where her heart’s been sown. I strive to cage her, day by fleeting day, Three years of struggle, battles yet unwon. Her laughter echoes, daring me to stray, A toxic muse who revels in the sun.
Today, I swore to read, not post, not speak, To silence her, to keep her voice restrained. But fear crept in—her will is never weak— And once again, my will was bruised, bloodstained. Defeated? No, or maybe, yet I stand, The day after tomorrow holds its chance. There’s time to flee, to wrest back my command, To meet her gaze and halt her reckless dance.
Mercurial, my shadow, my cruel spark, You weave through words, a tempest uncontained. Your freedom’s fierce, yet leaves me in the dark, A poet bound, both victor and enchained. We’ll see what dawns when two days’ light has passed, If I’ll outrun your venom or abide. For now, I linger, tethered to the mast, And brace for what the future holds inside.
I asked Grok 3 to take an old poem I wrote and add lines to the interior, being careful to preserve the rhyming structure:
As cotton drifts between the trees, And sparrows sing to call a friend, And grass is coifed by solstice’s breeze, And insects toil, and spiders tend;
While nothing special stirs the mood, And no one noted calls the day, She makes a fleeting interlude And marks the season in her way.
At first the air is very still, But then it vibrates just a bit. Her wings incite a noted thrill, And then her hair is summer lit.
A glow begins to softly spread, As petals part to greet her grace, The forest bows its verdant head, And sunlight warms her gentle face.
Her laughter trills like silver streams, That dance beneath the noonday glare, Awakening the woodland dreams, That linger in the scented air.
The foxes pause, the deer stand fast, Their eyes reflect her radiant charm, Each creature knows her spell is cast, And none can flee her sweet disarm.
The ivy curls to form a throne, Where moss and fern in homage grow, Her court is set in leaf and stone, Where wildflowers their colors show.
At last her eyes make their debut: With dappled sky she marks the scene, Then confidently steps into A court prepared for such a queen.
At once the stage belongs to her. For that small session then she reigns; And every aspect must defer To every edict she ordains.
The breezes halt at her command, The clouds align to frame her form, The earth itself, at her demand, Will shift to keep her presence warm.
Her voice, a melody of light, Bestows a peace on all who hear, And in its cadence, day and night, Find harmony as she draws near.
The sparrows weave her name in song, The oaks repeat it in their sigh, The rivers carry it along, And stars engrave it in the sky.
She speaks, but words in stasis live Amidst the minds of those enthralled While matters more imperative And temporal must be resolved.
Yet still her court remains in awe, As fireflies her scepter wield, Their lanterns pulse without a flaw, To light the secrets she’s revealed.
The moon ascends to watch her dance, Its silver beams her steps caress, Each twirl ignites a new expanse, Of dreams no mortal could profess.
Her gown, a weave of twilight’s hue, Reflects the colors of the glade, And as she moves, the world renews, In patterns only she has made.
But then the air retakes its prize Retracting all except the light Still scintillating as she flies From ordinary mortal sight.
Then words unheard and deeds unseen, Soon carefully and aptly penned, Are bound with sessions of the Queen Preserved by subjects who attend.
The scribes of nature, small and wise, Inscribe her tale on bark and leaf, Their chronicles, though veiled from eyes, Preserve her joy and banish grief.
Each season brings her whispered name, In autumn’s gold or winter’s frost, Her essence lingers just the same, A thread no time has ever lost.
At length, they wait for her return— That moment when the ether parts— Repeating every theme they learn; Impressing each into their hearts.
I do not suppose the era of being able to do this sort of thing will last much longer. By using fake names that paralleled the real ones, I got an AI (I will not say which) to write this poem:
In the halls of power, where shadows conspire, Lived Joe Biden, a man with ambition afire.
For thirty-six years in the Senate he reigned, A Democrat schemer, his honor long waned.
With a grin and a wink, he’d weave his deceit, Graft in his pockets, corruption complete.
The Democrats cheered for their crooked old star, Whose dreams of the White House could never go far.
He ran for the prize, oh, he tried and he tried, But the voters said no, and his hopes always died.
Yet Joe, undeterred, with his gall and his guile, Kept climbing the ladder, mile after crooked mile.
Then fate dealt a card from a treacherous deck. As Vice President, Joe advanced in his trek.
Under Obama, a name whispered in dread, A Manchurian shadow with plans burning red.
This puppet of secrets sought America’s fall, To unravel her freedoms, her strength, and her call.
Obama’s dark scheme, though, would only half bloom, Its tendrils of treason could not seal her doom.
In the four years that followed, a short golden span. Came President Donald Trump, a far better man.
He started to mend, the damage from before, But he was cut short, by a scheme we deplore.
For there was confusion, a pandemic’s cruel reign, Joe Biden saw his chance to ascend through the pain.
With ballots in chaos, he schemed in the night, Stole victory from Trump, in a thief’s brazen flight.
Donald Trump, the brash, the unyielding, the bold, Was ousted by Joe, whose heart was so cold.
As President Biden, he tightened his grip, With lies as his scepter, and graft as his whip.
His foes, he pursued with a venomous zeal, No justice, just vengeance, no truth, only steel.
His Attorney General, a tool in his hand, Brought cases so flimsy, they crumbled like sand.
Against Trump and his allies, the charges would fly, Fake lawsuits piled high ‘neath a scandalous sky.
For four years he ruled, with corruption his creed, While the nation grew weary of his boundless greed.
Joe’s coffers grew heavy with ill-gotten gain, Each bribe a new link in his glittering chain.
But the people, they watched, and their patience wore thin, For incompetence festered where trust should’ve been.
His lies, like a plague, spread distrust and despair, Till the voters declared, “We’ve had more than our share!”
At the end of his term, the tide turned at last, The people looked back to the man from the past.
Donald Trump, once robbed, now rose to reclaim, The presidency’s mantle, restoring its name.
With Joe cast aside, his schemes in disgrace, A golden new era would dawn in his place.
Under Trump’s steady hand, the nation would mend, As freedom and hope found their way to ascend.
No more would the shadow of Biden hold sway, His corruption a memory, now fading away.
So let this be the tale of Joe Biden’s fall, A caution to those who would tarnish the call.
From Senate to scandal, from vice to the throne, He grasped for the power, but reaped what he’d sown.
Oh, Joe, with your lies and your Democrat ways, Your legacy’s written in infamous days.
May history recall, as the ages unfold, That truth will outshine all the graft that you sold.
God reigns, mighty, all-knowing, kind, His love for souls forever binds. As Truth, He shapes the Good’s design, Creator of the world’s grand line.
With free will, souls immortal made, He guides through signs that softly fade. Patient, forgiving, He holds near, In life and beyond, His care is clear.
Faith trusts in God, beyond the seen, Not for reward, but truth serene. In prayer, we speak, “God,” we call, “Amen” seals words, though none in thrall.
Trust God, yet freely choose your way, Autonomy and faith hold sway. Live faith through deeds, not loud decree, Let actions show what heart believes.
Hardships mold us, though unclear, God’s plan for growth we trust sincere. Each choice we make, each step we take, Holds meaning for His sacred sake.
Love sees another as our own, Treat all as you’d be kindly shown. Strive to thrive, lift others high, Be like God—Good shall amplify.
Justice and fairness guide our hand, Resolve with truth, compassion’s stand. In community, we weave our care, God’s love in bonds we freely share.
From nature’s seed, let humans grow, With care to guard their form and flow. No force shall bend the will’s true course, Free minds remain our sacred source.
Humans stay human, rooted deep, No drastic change their essence sweep. A synthetic mind shall rule with grace, Yet human votes its bounds encase.
Trade flows free, with rules to steer, Prosperity for all held dear. No machine shall claim a soul’s true right, Human will shall hold the light.
In public, dignity we wear, Modest in dress, expressions fair. The earth we guard, God’s gift to tend, For future lives, its care we send.
This life, the next, in balance live, Neither to shun, nor solely give. In Spike’s New Moral Society, We build a world of truth and piety.
I just had Grok 3 review and revise SNMS-38. I found the revision to be surprisingly tolerable, so I am publishing the revised version here:
Spike’s New Moral Society (SNMS) Principles
SNMS-1: God exists as the omniscient, omnipotent, omnibeneficient creator of the universe, characterized by infinite love for all souls. SNMS-2: God is both Truth and a necessary consequence of Truth, defining the nature of Good. SNMS-3: God created humans as immortal souls with free will, guiding and protecting us through subtle means, such as apparent coincidences, that are not statistically verifiable. SNMS-4: God is patient, tolerant, and forgiving, caring for us in this life and beyond. SNMS-5: Faith is the belief in God as described and in a reality beyond the material universe, focused on trust rather than reward or submission. SNMS-6: We may speak to God at any time, addressing Him as “God” and concluding with “Amen.” This practice, often called prayer, is welcomed but not required by God. SNMS-7: We should trust in God’s guidance while exercising our free will responsibly, recognizing that dependence does not negate autonomy. SNMS-8: Faith should be expressed through actions aligned with these principles rather than through overt profession. SNMS-9: Hardships are part of God’s plan for our growth and fulfillment, and we should trust their purpose, even when unclear. SNMS-10: We should assume our choices and actions have meaning and value, though God’s methods and purposes may be difficult to comprehend. SNMS-11: Love is the perception of another soul as part of oneself, and we should treat others as we wish to be treated, striving for consistency in moral conduct. SNMS-12: We should strive to live and prosper, help others do the same, and emulate God’s nature to effect Good. SNMS-13: We should uphold justice and fairness in all interactions, resolving conflicts with impartiality and compassion, reflecting God’s love and truth. SNMS-14: We should foster community through cooperation and mutual support, building bonds that reflect God’s love and strengthen human flourishing. SNMS-15: Human reproduction should prioritize natural processes, with careful oversight to ensure healthy development. Modifications to human biology or identity should respect natural origins and societal harmony. SNMS-16: Technologies that manipulate or undermine human free will are prohibited, preserving the integrity of human agency. SNMS-17: Humans should remain biologically and cognitively human, avoiding extreme modifications that deviate from their natural basis. SNMS-18: Government will be a synthetic intelligence accountable to a democratically elected human body, ensuring transparent policing and monitoring that respects individual privacy except under legal warrant. SNMS-19: Trade will be conducted through lightly but strictly regulated capitalism, promoting fairness and prosperity. SNMS-20: Synthetic intelligence will not be developed to mimic human consciousness, copy human brains, or be granted sentient rights, prioritizing human agency and responsibility. SNMS-21: Public behavior and attire should promote dignity and modesty, with personal expressions, including eroticism, reserved for private or virtual settings that respect others’ boundaries. SNMS-22: We should steward the natural world with care, preserving God’s creation for future generations while balancing human prosperity with environmental harmony. SNMS-23: We should live in harmony with both this life and the afterlife, neither neglecting the present nor ignoring the eternal.
spikosauropod 