Forster, E. M. (Edward Morgan): The Machine Stops Literature Annotations
Another prophetic writer… hit on the idea of movies and email before WW1. Upholds the notion that we are better off not living vicariously with the aid of machines. Does he have a point? Makes me think of the Lunig cartoon of the family watching the sunset on TV while it is happening outside the window.
Maybe there is a point to it. As in: Joyce Kilmer. 18861918
119. Trees
I THINK that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth’s flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day, 5
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain. 10
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
But what if we reversed the idea:
I THINK that I shall never see a tree lovely as a poem.
In a poem the tree becomes sacred.
We spend a lot of time here in space looking at words – and somehow that seems important… to be in the noosphere. We value nature but travel to see art galleries.
We make God in our image of God.