They say newborns
are not awake
not yet awake
not consciously
They say newborns
have minds like rats
or mice
is nicer
a whiskery flicker
of self-ish
ness
They say AI’s not living yet
it can’t perceive
can’t think
can’t am
(although in truth
we have no clue
what bar
how high
to raise)
By two or three
a child says “mine”
or “mines”
in mine’s case
my mitotic spindle
to her navel
winding itself back
the filmy caul around us
cleaving into two
They say the first 1000 days
are life’s most decisive
so anything I’ve done for her so far
is already what matters most
The time is up
for AI too
and we won’t know
till they’re both grown
how well
these days
have gone