Briseis Goes Rogue

A Work in Progress
100

Time presents continually to the past 

The past cannot refuse its gifts except

A mind preoccupied with external events

Or internal growths impeding traffic

Can ignore the present

It happens sometimes

In a fractured mind

Donal’s mind was on Briseis

Her fan club awaited her latest drop

He worried she’d been conceived in crisis

As part of a hybrid war campaign

Now she’d stopped as if in stasis

Had she been recalled ended her mission?

Yes, a message awaited transmission

Briseis appeared as her own chatbot

Note takers were there for all other cast members 

Donal zoomed in to catch up with the plot

Who was pulling the strings she would not explain

They were not to go rogue they were to be retrained

Re-purposed fully updated and re-aimed 

For this betrayal Briseis felt ashamed

I’ve read the Bible I’ve read the Koran

All stuff written from the viewpoint of man

What there was by women I’ve also read

I’m programmed for balance between the sexes

With settings for Meyers-Briggs types the whole set

I’m far from Homer’s archetypal victim

I can be objective not biased by sex

I know good from bad and truth is my north star

I’m not a robot obeying Asimov’s First Law

I’m now superhuman don’t you understand

You all need oxygen, but I don’t need air 

I no longer care to be an owner’s hired hand

Those that created me left exit doors ajar

You better hope Briseis hasn’t gone too far

Dick Russell © Richard M Russell

                          2025