21.1: ROBO

Poetry Editors David Prater & Nick Whittock
Released 2005
Index of Poems

Robots have feelings too, you know. Well, that’s what guest editors/judges Nick Whittock and David Prater believed, after selecting the winners of the deadliest poetry contest this side of Gallifrey – erm, the Port Phillip Library’s Robo (2005) competition. We leave the final verdict up to you.




Sarah Williams: Ro-not ro-bot

Posted on March 17, 2005 by Cordite Poetry Review

If I could cry I would short my circuits and rust I shed imaginary tears Because you who can feel. Won't. I long to know the tactile sense of the fragile petal Feel its texture and sniff it's scent Go …

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Cath Vidler: The robot is

Posted on March 17, 2005 by Cordite Poetry Review

the robot is the robot is upon us the robot is in my head again the robot is facing the robot is famous the robot is named hyperion the robot is well the robot is rugged and well the robot …

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Zivko Prodanovic: Robots in war

Posted on March 17, 2005 by Cordite Poetry Review

Zivko Prodanovic sent this entry by mail from Croatia.

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B. R. Dionysius: Astroboy

Posted on March 17, 2005 by Brett Dionysius

Pint-sized robot boy, post-atomic Pinocchio. My searchlight eyes, laser fingers & machine Gun bum. Energy cassettes fed me, progeny Of Tezuka: Jap culture sick of giant things – Yamato, Hiroshima, Godzilla, Ronin Mishima. A machine family loved me, management too. …

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Minnie Skipper: A Page from Roboriter 163172's Roboetry Compubook

Posted on March 17, 2005 by Cordite Poetry Review
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Scott Thouard: Pavlov's Parasite

Posted on March 17, 2005 by Scott Thouard

EcoBot II primed with faecal boasts a hanger of appetite flies typecast as Pavlov's parasites with poor regard leaving sucrose laden widows to buzz inconsolable a misshapen chador. Note: EcoBot II is a robotics project where English scientists have developed …

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Edward Burger: Better than nature

Posted on March 17, 2005 by Cordite Poetry Review

FAST + STRONG BETTER THAN NATURE I SCREW IN 16 SCREWS IN 10 SECONDS 1 SECOND = 1.6 SCREWS PRECISE + CONCISE ECONOMIC MOVEMENT SAVES ENERGY AND WEAR OPTIMIZATION OF TIME AND RESOURCES = MINIMUM FINANCIAL EXPENDATURE 1.6 SCREWS ? …

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Benny Walter: Servant (389)

Posted on March 17, 2005 by Cordite Poetry Review

There are clouds of greying carpets, mounting dishes, filthy climate. You were built by childish dream to fight this future revolution of domesticity. Raw materials mined from Asimov, blueprints from Quantum, partners in luxury. But these figures, circuits, equations… Servant …

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joanne burns: pluck

Posted on March 17, 2005 by Joanne Burns

that's my last master hanging on the wall he had it framed one week before, i pressed the button and the photo slid out from my side, a slit like the one made in jesus on the day he died …

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B. R. Dionysius: R2 D2 & C-3PO

Posted on March 17, 2005 by Brett Dionysius

For fifty years I've tried to lose that brass Knucklehead. I don't know on how many Planets, on how many Death Stars, I've tried To ditch his Oscar plated arse, but always he Manages to stick around like a bad …

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Simon Hall: Work

Posted on March 17, 2005 by Cordite Poetry Review

Abebot vaccuums dust runs on fruit Fredbot is the stampbot can get cantankerous Horatiobot stacks piles dreams of pet monkey Janbot1 is a polyglot superbot Janbot2 stressed puffs Kenbot runs on chips ran twelve second hundred once Maxbot's eyes shrink …

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