[ WP ] `` To explore the universe , we had to sacrifice our humanity . And we did . ''

Her metamorphosis took place at the dinner table. 
 She abruptly crumpled up, compressing herself into a fat, rounded form 
 before a light red layer of veins covered her, themselves 
 being covered by a gorgeous iridescent scaly layer. 
 I picked up the emerald egg and gave it a quick peck, 
 to reassure her that I was still there. 
 Her father chuckled. “ Don ’ t worry, she ’ s in there, all right. 
 Her mother went through the same process, and, well, just look at her. ” 
 His wife hissed in agreement, coiling her tail around him. 
 I held onto her egg, unsure 
 whether or not 
 to put it back down. 
 “ Why so tense? Set her down; she ’ s not going anywhere. 
 She ’ ll have finished her transformation by tomorrow. ” 
 I put her egg down on the seat 
 and continued to eat, 
 savoring the taste 
 of my own imperfections. 
 
 & nbsp; 
 
 She was born the next day 
 at the dinner table. The egg cracked and then ceased 
 to exist, shattered into infinitesimally small bits 
 by a dragonfly of jade and gold. She buzzed 
 contentedly as I held her in my arms, 
 admiring the circuitry in her wings. 
 I crooned to her 
 to let her know that I was there. 
 She brought her head to meet mine. 
 We connected, man and beyond-man. 
 I kissed her, savoring 
 Complex mouthparts, dexterous legs 
 Lithe exoskeleton, slender antennae 
 Deep eyes, lofty wings 
 A scent of perfection to which I could only dream to aspire. 
 
 & nbsp; 
 
 Just me and her now, 
 man and beyond-man. What was she seeing, thinking 
 in that body beyond my mere comprehension? 
 The cybernetic capsule within her head, 
 seat of her human emotions, that last 
 Vestige of imperfection in a body 
 that was above my own. How could I love her any less 
 knowing that she was destined to surpass me. 
 But for now, us together 
 sharing the jointed metamorphosis 
 of this body of hers, more beautiful than before 
 a soft, wet, warm thorax 
 wings ripe with the scent of ambition 
 A mind built to perceive 
 A soul meant to dream 
 A body created to achieve 
 A destiny within the stars. 
 
 & nbsp; 
 
 She left me the way she entered 
 in a flash that changed my life 
 I ate her and took her capsule 
 Seat of her mind 
 Seat of her emotions 
 Seat of her previous imperfection 
 why 
 Why did I eat her 
 what dream did I have 
 that I would seek to ruin hers? 
 Does she realize what has happened 
 Is this a nightmare 
 this impulse to consume 
 This horrific imperfection 
 How do I save her from myself 
 Join her in the capsule 
 connect to her mind 
 Uploaded to her world. 
 She tasted of everything I wanted to be. 
 
 & nbsp; 
 
 stars. a platform. the sea. 
 just us. her imperfect body. the one we shared. 
 what can I tell her 
 how do i save her dream 
 she knows 
 she looks at me and 
 the virtual ocean in her eyes 
 the burning of a sun in her heart 
 she knows and 
 she still loves me 
 is this a dream? 
 despite my imperfection 
 through the nightmare 
 the nightmare i created 
 she still loves me 
 she was never imperfect 
 she has always been perfect 
 she has always been headed for the stars 
 this is her dream 
 so this is my dream 
 she can have my body 
 metamorphosize and find the stars 
 i remain in the capsule 
 stars. platforms. the sea. 
 
 & nbsp; 
 
 Sometimes she visits. 
 tells me stories of the stars 
 tells me of the metamorphosized body I once had 
 and of the stars it visited. 
 the stars she visited. 
 They sound beautiful. 
 I look at the false ocean 
 and look at the virtual stars 
 and wonder what might have been 
 in this dream 
 what we might have been together 
 but 
 she is happy. 
 the stars are open to her. 
 this is the dream. 
 this is my perfection.
