Current
Issue
Fall 2026 / Volume 13.1
Rayan Al-awar
—
Robodog 3000
Spot the Boston Dynamics dog is so cool.
His sleek greyhound legs follow me around all day
like a Real Dog. With automatic sensing, he can capture
limitless data. When I kiss him I taste my bitten lips and think about
frenching my cousin in Beirut and how his tail should wag. Spot
explores without boundaries. He is changing how organizations monitor
and operate. While he charges, I count his aspects up to ninety-nine. Unlike
boring Dogs, Spot has modules like Arm and Payload. Mobile manipulation
for any occasion. Most days I feel like a prey animal
in a prey animal’s body. But not when Spot is around.
A well-placed kick to his ribs doesn't even faze him! Sometimes he barks at me
in my father's voice saying Stop Stealing From Whole Foods or
Quit Kissing Your Cousin. I keep texting him but he hasn’t responded
since the last bombing and because Thumb isn’t available yet. I try
to share a cigarette with Spot but he smacks it out of my hand;
he hates a menthol. Spot is a dependable friend and delivers
consistent results. I love how he howls at the moon
like a siren. Night is coming with red eyes.
Rayan is a Lebanese American who lives in Queens, NY. He is an environmental engineer by trade and a poet by necessity. His other work can be seen in Hunger Mountain Review and Foglifter Journal.
