All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace

This poem can be interpreted differently all depending on how you think the author is speaking. If you think the author is being literal, he seems very pro technology, however if you think the author is speaking in a sarcastic tone, the whole message of the poem seems opposite.

“I like to think,” people often use that when they are referring to something that isn’t actually true, for example, they like to think all people are good, but in the reality of things that’s not true. In this poem Brautigan is saying, “I like to think…” and then saying utopian things with nature and technology. This leads me to believe that although the poet would like to think that these things are possible, they would never happen. Also in the last line “all watched over by machines of loving grace,” seems very positive if loving grace is taken sarcastically, however the poet could be referring to machines taking over, which is what some people fear.

If you look at Brautigan’s poem in the literal sense however, he is speaking some very pro technology things. Quotes such as “Mammals and computers living together in mutually programming harmony,” and “deer stroll peacefully past computers as if they were flowers,” and very pro technology things. Also in the last stanza the author talks about having machines take over all of our labors so we can relax and enjoy nature, which seems appealing if both could exist in perfect utopia with each other.

I think the anti technology interpretation is more accurate. Mainly when the author says, “I like to think…” it definitely gives me the impression that the author doesn’t think any of the things he says are possible. Naturally if machines and nature cannot live in, “programming harmony,” with each other, that means that the author thinks there will be disputes between them.