My Pet Computer

My humanity begins when
I treat this computer like a person.

I restart it when it needs a boost.
Just like using ECT to scrape gunk
from the gutters of our brains.

Or, I put it to sleep when it needs a rest,
taking care to let it lie
neither too long nor too often.

Because, like everyone else,
it needs to stay plugged into the system.

It’s got a job it’s supposed to do.