Robot

Clinical, round
invisible seams.
Ceramic wedded to metal.

Armatures,
crossbeams, rivets,
girders, a skin

To shame lame
Hephaestus at his forge.
Reflected light

Lends divine
grace to the clumsy
work of man:

Ancient statue
spark to life
and walk among

The broken flesh
you replace.
Fire-hardened men,

Red, kiln-dried men
sag and sigh
as you march by.