Can't Help Myself | Teen Ink

Can't Help Myself

December 10, 2021
By larkinj23531 BRONZE, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
larkinj23531 BRONZE, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
2 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Within the glass panes

Spattered in red

A robot arm moves frantically

Dwelling in an endless cycle

Whirring chaos amongst the

Vicious red liquid 


Outside the box

Stares hold strong like a glass eye

Watching the mess

That cannot be fixed


With every “shhh” sweeping movement

Panic arises like the steam after a summer storm

Propelling the arm into a deeper

Swing of desperation 


Oh why must it continue

To move and sweep?

When the liquid spits in its face,

Smothering its arm,

Condemning its every move as

A disappointed mother would do 


No amount of determination

Courage

Or Strength

Can combat the pain

Our robot is enslaved by

Chained by its feelings

It Can’t Help Itself


The author's comments:

This piece is an Ekphrastic Poem written upon the piece of art, Can't Help Myself by Sun Yuan and Peng Yu. Can't Help myself is an exhibit at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, where it can be seen with its machine arm continuously sweeping up a red liquid. This piece of work sparks emotion in many who view it, and in my poem, I expressed my opinion of it. 


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