Today’s New Verse News: SCORPION and LOOKING FOR ANSWERS ON CHATGPT
STREET CRIMES OPERATION TO RESTORE PEACE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS (SCORPION)
by John Whitney Steele
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The predatory arachnids of the order, Scorpiones, sit and wait for prey to move, unknowing, into the ambush zone. Once the prey has been detected they turn, run, and seize it. If the prey is perceived to be aggressive or active, they inject it with their venom. Otherwise they simply hold and eat it. The victim’s body parts are broken down, liquified, and sucked into the scorpion’s stomach. The victim is gradually reduced to a ball of indigestible material, which is cast aside.
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John Whitney Steele is a psychologist, yoga teacher, assistant editor of Think: A Journal of Poetry, Fiction and Essays, and graduate of the MFA Poetry Program at Western Colorado University. His chapbook, The Stones Keep Watch, and his full length collection of poetry, Shiva’s Dance were recently published by Kelsay Books. John lives in Boulder, Colorado and enjoys hiking in the mountains.
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LOOKING FOR ANSWERS ON CHATGPT
by Ann E. Wallace
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Tell me about Tyre Nichols. I don’t have any information about Tyre Nichols as a person or a notable public figure. Can you provide more context or details about who Tyre is or what you’re looking for? Tell me about Tyre’s life. Skateboarding appeals to young men for several reasons: Independence Creativity Community Adventure Freedom Skateboarding provides a sense of freedom. Tell me more. Photographing sights of beauty within the city can be a creative and rewarding hobby for young men. Here are some reasons why: Creative outlet Exploration Documentary Social engagement Personal growth Photography can help young men develop new perspectives, as they learn to see the world through a lens and express themselves. Tell me about Tyre’s pain. Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease. Symptoms include: Pain Rectal bleeding Weight loss Fatigue. Assault, such as being punched or kicked, can cause intense physical pain, further exacerbating these symptoms. Tell me about his heart. Parenting a 4-year can be both rewarding and challenging. Encourage independence. Foster creativity. Set boundaries. Encourage physical activity. Promote language development. Use positive reinforcement. Show affection. Be patient. To help a 4-year old grieve Be honest Keep the memory alive Take care of yourself To help a mother grieve Listen Respect her feelings Be patient Tell me. To help a nation heal Address the root causes Encourage reconciliation Foster Encourage Support Address Foster Encourage action These steps are not exhaustive. Process your emotions Seek information Take action Stay informed Practice Self Care. Please tell me something about Tyre. In Memphis, the sunsets in January are usually beautiful, a stunning display of warm and vibrant colors. The angle of the sun is lower in the sky, which can result in longer and more dramatic sunsets as the sun takes longer to dip below the horizon.
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Author’s note: I composed this poem by curating language from the AI platform ChatGPT's responses to a series of questions (not exclusively those in the poem) about Tyre Nichols. ChapGPT, an incredibly powerful artificial intelligence resource that has been touted as able to handle the most complex challenges, cannot begin to capture who Tyre Nichols was and what his life meant. It fails, just like humans so often do, to measure a life.
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Ann E. Wallace is Poet Laureate of Jersey City, NJ, where she is an English Professor at New Jersey City University. Her work has appeared in The New Verse News, Huffington Post, Wordgathering, Gyroscope Review, and many other journals. Her published work is available online at AnnWallacePhD.com and on Instagram @annwallace409.
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