AustLit

'I missed it, the entire history of our blue world.

How many heads rolled? Did they go defiantly?

I will sacrifice myself by becoming an automaton.

'It is all too much! The past and future have coalesced into a spherical twister of succulents, stardust, money boxes and chatbots. You keep it together with outstretched arms, a child of this earth wielding a hurricane. All that is you whirling about in the mix: erotic books and bull ants, blackbirds and stoic philosophers. The whole world caught in a balancing act of blue whales and human brains, super computers and microplastics. As a matter of survival, you start bringing it together, moulding it firmly into the density of a dark star. A volatile idea pushed heavily inward, until it takes shape in your clamped hands. When you take a look, there is an ancient fruit – an apricot, with a modest blush. It is exquisite! But if you plant it, what will grow? If you eat it, what will you become?'  (Publication summary)