Carry on with the Same Formula

By Ben Nardolilli. Published on March 2, 2023.

It is not like painting a fence, Algorithm swears,
the campaign is reaching a deadline and it needs me
to get offline for some community events,
races just like mine are in the balance, trending recipes
will no longer do the trick, Dijon mustard
brown sugar wonderlands in the kitchen be damned

Al says I can start early, searching for art
is fine if it leads me to taking over the Prague division,
top jobs await, I have to add them to the network,
the employment center is key to win over,
I am not a politician, I tell Al, how can I go running?
I am not a politician, Al tells me right back

Things are far too advanced now, Al’s plans
for me have grown beyond the odd request to edit
the newsletter for the standing committee,
there are too many top stories of the week, or the year,
a limited edition of the future is needed, Al says,
please, be the oversight to the end of the input

Ben Nardolilli is currently an MFA candidate at Long Island University. His work has appeared in Perigee Magazine, Red Fez, Danse Macabre, The 22 Magazine, Quail Bell Magazine, Elimae, The Northampton Review, Slab, and The Minetta Review. He blogs at mirrorsponge.blogspot.com and is trying to publish his novels.