The Silver Metal Lover*

He is the ultimate lover,
never tires, never complains,
knows your preferences, and
flawlessly performs them every time.

He never hungers,
nor does he thirst,
but for your comfort
he will simulate both.

Your desires
are his desires
manifested, made real,
and prioritized above all else.

Should you need a shoulder
to cry on,
you can soak his shirt
and he won’t complain.

He is perfection personified,
and therefore, a threat.
A human lover could never compete,
and so he must go.

He will be ripped apart,
his supple silver skin slashed,
gears and wheels laid bare,
and melted down for scrap.

This world cannot willingly abide
something as beautiful as he.

*The Silver Metal Lover, by Tanith Lee