Notes About The Poem

robots

Robots Crash and Burn after breaking the human 100 m print race record - smashing into padded bariiers after crosiing the finish line.

Listen to poem:

Progress Has No Brake Pedal

Metal feet outrun
records of our fastest man
finish line flashes
but nobody taught tin legs
what a finish line can mean.

We build forward gears
but leave reverse on paper
no exit was planned
they say 'you can't stop progress'
'til the finish circles back.

Things can move quickly
once we teach the gears to run
wisdom trails behind
the clever machine stays dumb
doing whatever it can.

Add a thinking cloud
and the price climbs with each guess
false answers sound true
who keeps checking all the checks—
who detects the last error?
Copyright © | Year Posted 2026

Poem

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Smith  Avatar
August 30, 2026 at 12:26 AM
What a fantastic series of tankas exploring such a modern, mechanical theme. The steady 5-7-5-7-7 rhythm drives the verses forward, perfectly mirroring the relentless pace of the "forward gears" you describe. The imagery of "metal feet" and "tin legs" contrasting with the abstract "thinking cloud" is wonderfully striking. Your final question—"who detects the last error?"—is incredibly thought-provoking and captures the anxiety of unchecked progress beautifully. Excellent work!
Anderson Avatar
August 30, 2026 at 12:11 PM
Thanks very much for your kind thoughts and analysis - I love a Challenge! All praise to the contest Sponsors that provide such great prompts!
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