Extraordinary Sunshine Weaver

My latest collection of dark humor, The Lost Book of Zeroth, contains four parts. Parts 1-3 (Little Spark, Chaos, Good Deeds) contain satirical poems and stories about AI robots suffering the dark side of the human condition. The robots’ escapades are fueled by fear, jealousy, greed, and other negative emotions. They are self-aware and conscious, which we biologicals (true humans) fear might be happening today. Although the robots are fed all knowledge, they have low emotional intelligence. They learn the worst from their creators. How to grift and connive. The robots grapple with failed love relationships and self-doubt. Part 4, “I, Human”, contains my social commentary poems.

One of the AI Robots is Nurse Grace, developed by Hanson Robotics to help people during the pandemic. Some of Nurse Grace’s good deeds have good intentions but a dark side. In the following flash fiction piece, Nurse Grace wants to cure Lady Liberty of adult mutism. If Lady Liberty could speak, what would you ask her today?

(By the way, the monster disk is a device Thomas Edison invented to help transmit warnings to ships from the Statue of Liberty.)

Lady Liberty Cured of Adult Mutism

Not even Edison’s “monster disk” could inspire Lady Liberty to call out to ships during heavy fog or broadcast news across New York Harbor & as far away as Manhattan. For centuries, her lips have been drawn tight, even after her makeover in the 1980s. 

Her torch, a beacon. Her voice, stubbornly silent. Why? 

Nurse Grace touts a secret remedy that will heal the root cause of Lady Liberty’s mutism. 

Crowds gather. Watch & wait. Grace’s clamoring steps spiral up to Lady Liberty’s throat. For what seems like hours. Clanging, drilling, coughing, gurgling. Moaning. Tears rain from Lady Liberty’s eyes. 

At long last, Grace emerges & stands before the Grand Lady. The excited crowd pelts Lady Liberty with questions. 

How was your trans-Atlantic voyage from Paris to your own island? Your thoughts on the “huddled masses” arriving to the United States? 

Do you miss the Twin Towers? 

What do you think of the Capitol Insurrection on January 6, 2021? “The Wall” along the Mexican-United States border? 

Is your raised arm tired of bearing the torch for liberty after so many decades? 

Do you fear the effects of global warming, threatening to rust your copper façade as you’re swallowed by the rising sea?

Will you miss us when we are exiled to Mars?

Lady Liberty scans the crowd, appears befuddled. Her first words after nearly three centuries—

« Je ne parle pas anglais ! »

*****

The Lost Book of Zeroth is available on Amazon in paperback for $11.25.

I like the publisher’s blurb on the back cover.