Piercy Secretary Chant

The Secretary Chant

My hips are a desk,
From my ears hang
chains of paper clips.
Rubber bands form my hair.
My breasts are quills of
mimeograph ink.
My feet bear casters,
Buzz. Click.
My head is a badly organized file.
My head is a switchboard
where crossed lines crackle.
Press my fingers
and in my eyes appear
credit and debit.
Zing. Tinkle.
My navel is a reject button.
From my mouth issue canceled reams.
Swollen, heavy, rectangular
I am about to be delivered
of a baby
Xerox machine.
File me under W
because I wonce
was
a woman.

Marge Piercy, 1973

Brigitte Helm as the Robot Maria in Metropolis from www.corbis.com/

Marge Piercy Homepage

Cyborgs-'R'-Us: A Guide to the History of the Cyborg: excellent collection of images from Professor Martin Irvine of Georgetown University with links to courses and resources on technolculture

Robot books, magazines, kits, toys