I didn’t earn a useless degree.

I do important things for future generations of researchers.

I help plant the seeds by describing 

the materials I see, hear & touch.

My brain is filled with random information, where words & sounds used to roam freely.

Now all the information I gather

is instantly absorbed,

internally floating in the deep,

dark membranes.

Poems are no longer a dime a dozen,

or touched by gold—

they creep up weeks later, infecting like a friendly virus.

The modern dancers of my work’s project now take center stage.

I can’t think of anything new—

AI and politics are making a mockery of the world,

& family members are dealing with both physical & mental challenges.

Better to stay quiet, 

to pull the covers close,

to note all sensations silently 

as all the nutrients of the weekly experiences

continue to be absorbed & consumed,

without much added comment.