And If...Else

[camus]

We reside in a nation of thankless opinions
and exorbitant snacks
reliant on algorithms, surreptitious memories
and very little else.

Just off an A road, via an unfortunate bypass
past haystacks, boneblacks
and relentless cutbacks we forge on,
on to a lesser truth.

We are blind-sided, pigeon-headed
andyfelts, conditional statements ()
mere values of X equal to nothing
of any intrinsic significance.

null && !str.isEmpty())

[CalebPerry]

There is just too much in this poem that I don't understand for me to post on it.

The first stanza seems very prosaic and straightforward, but stanza 2 stops me cold. I don't know what an A road is. The dictionary tells me that "boneblack" is a black pigment made from heating bones, but you are saying "boneblacks". I don't know what "andyfelts" are, and I don't understand the remainder of that line or the rest of the poem -- especially that last line.

I have taken intelligence tests that say that I am intelligent, but now I feel stupid.

Camus, didn't you rename yourself "The Stranger"? If so, I have to tell you that lately this forum is dead. We need to promote it somehow.

[Poet]

We reside in a nation of thankless opinions
and exorbitant snacks
reliant on algorithms, surreptitious memories
and very little else.

Just off an A road, via an unfortunate bypass
past haystacks, boneblacks
and relentless cutbacks we forge on,
on to a lesser truth.

We are blind-sided, pigeon-headed
andyfelts, conditional statements ()
mere values of X equal to nothing
of any intrinsic significance.

null && !str.isEmpty())

This poem feels like a rant mixed with some introspective philosophy of some sort. I don't really understand what you are trying to say here.

[Magpie Jane]

Ever since the very first time I saw this poem, it has intrigued me.
Today it was as if it stood out more clearly.
Is it about surveillance capitalism? If so, it makes a sort of sense, to me at least.
Andy Felt is a sort of mathematics guru, isn't he? (sorry, I never bothered to look him up)
At any rate your poem is a cunning-quirky piece of work - but maybe a tad on the esoteric side, if I may say so. Readers - including myself - usually appreciate being challenged, but within the limits of accessibility.
Nah ... I had a bloody good time chewing on your poem - and I don't mind if I missed the target. Thanks for the exercise!
Cheers!
Jane

[pomespennyeach]

I like both the fierceness and quirkyness (to echo Jane) of this poem.

No idea what an andyfelts might be, and last line is a code I can't unlock, but I like to be left wondering. Perplexity is not a sin, but our natural state. Or should be.

[Amadis]

I can't argue with the sentiment in this piece.
There is much that is F(*d) about our modern society,
and (morality==null) likely equates to TRUE

You do have a few minor complier errors in your code.
Variable "andyfelts" is undefined.
"null && !str.isEmpty())" Conditional Error - a string cannot be both null and also not empty.

We reside in a nation of thankless opinions
and exorbitant snacks
reliant on algorithms, surreptitious memories
and very little else.

Just off an A road, via an unfortunate bypass
past haystacks, boneblacks
and relentless cutbacks we forge on,
on to a lesser truth.

We are blind-sided, pigeon-headed
andyfelts, conditional statements ()
mere values of X equal to nothing
of any intrinsic significance.

null && !str.isEmpty())

[camus]

Thanks for the feedback people and sincere apologies for the late reply, sometimes you just can't...

Caleb:

I have taken intelligence tests that say that I am intelligent, but now I feel stupid.

Ah, send me a link to said intelligence test, I could do with an approximation! But please don't feel stupid for not understanding a somewhat cryptic poem. There is a rule written somewhere: "Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent." I think i broke all those rules, so...

Poet:

This poem feels like a rant mixed with some introspective philosophy of some sort.

Quite possibly.

Magpie Jane:

Is it about surveillance capitalism?

Quite possibly.

pomespennyeach:

I like both the fierceness and quirkyness

Thanks, appreciated. "Andyfelts" shall be revealed at the end of this thank you note.

Amadis

Clever response, much cleverer than the poem!

Yes the poem is about the state of modern society, honing in specifically on the code/algorithms and day to day computer barrage that often surreptitiously guide and rule our very lives.

SO THE BIG REVEAL:

Andyfelts = And If...Else

Oh yeah baby. LOL.

Cheers Dudes.