Imitation Standardization

Humans have always aspired

To the state of worker bees,

But a fungible cloneship,

In which you can specialize

Into anything for team.

Each body’s pluripotent

As a stem cell of the mind.

This goes back. This goes way back.

Start with ornamentation,

A species universal.

Visit the smallest band groups.

They’re all outfitted alike.

Some cloaks may be functional,

But most go to say we’re us,

Each one of us marked as such.

In some of the earliest

Art of the Sumerians,

Egyptians, Chinese kingdoms,

Notice how soldiers are massed

In near-identical ranks.

Notice the early receipts

For precise counts of same-sized

Loaves of bread, rations of beer.

You imitate each other—

Not everyone everyone,

Not always by your choosing,

But selectively, you match,

Plumage to plumage, tattoo

To tattoo, role alike role,

Standardized axes and spears.

Tomorrow you could betray

Your team; tomorrow

You could join some other one,

But you have a mind to join,

To find your own, imitate,

To do as the Romans do.