In Cairo

Streets requiring disguises
almost on the daily
the photographer used to
dressing like a man
while working to avoid
sexual and physical assault
ready to defend herself
already plotting out
an escape route just in case
still trying to forget memories
of the last story she covered
about hundreds of protestors
taking flowers to Tahrir Square
in memory of all those
that had lost their lives
as part of the revolution and
the young  woman that was killed
after police fired into the crowd
she was standing next to her
the photo that was taken
continues to haunt her
in the middle of the night
 

Futuristic Flamenco Dance
Probabilistic algorithms, robust and autonomous
mathematical framework, mobile robot mapping
futuristic robots with superhuman abilities
minds of their own, artificial intelligence
robotic fish on undercover science missions
self-governing robots making sandwiches
RoboEarth exists, a wikipedia for robots
sharing knowledge with each other
they are getting collectively smarter
self-driving cars, magnetic roads
unmanned military aircraft systems
swooping down, running for cover
robot jobs- always on the rise
her robotic engineer career is secure
during a brief moment of down time
a percussionist bot improvises jazz music
while a troupe of dancing humanoid robots
leads her imagination momentarily astray
alas, a flamenco dance would not work out
the user experience must be perfected
this obsession will never abandon her