2026 NaPM 8 April

[dukealien]

The End of an Age


Iron instead, the metal that turns blood red
when exposed to such agents of life as air and water,
would to the Nordic giant prove herald of death.

Hammers, axes, spears, arrows, and swords
would crack their skulls, would pierce their sides, would split
their joints as if they were livestock being butchered,

and all by hands much smaller than theirs, by heads
much less possessed of vision, much more to reason
and to cooperation's prospects bound,

by hearts that nevertheless were moved to claim
divinity for pathetic figureheads:
when all the giants were gone, from up their graves
sprang gods of brass and steel to take their place.

Excellent!  And then the Gods of the Copybook Lessons return, but with mechanized avatars...