Imagine a Future Robot
I imagine a robot to carry my bag to school
and eat the dinners I don't like at all.
I imagine a robot who can translate for the new
boy who doesn't know how to play handball.
I imagine a robot to give me game hacks
so I can score higher and not feel so small.
I imagine a robot who can play with the new
boy at school who gets called Paul but his name's Amal.
I imagine a robot who gets that I hate literacy
and who gives me number puzzles to fix and recall.
I imagine a robot in a wheelchair
so it can do stairs and play handball.
I imagine a robot who cheers me through exams
so I can study robotics and get further than school.
I imagine becoming someone who can design
new legs for the new boy and others like Amal.
and eat the dinners I don't like at all.
I imagine a robot who can translate for the new
boy who doesn't know how to play handball.
I imagine a robot to give me game hacks
so I can score higher and not feel so small.
I imagine a robot who can play with the new
boy at school who gets called Paul but his name's Amal.
I imagine a robot who gets that I hate literacy
and who gives me number puzzles to fix and recall.
I imagine a robot in a wheelchair
so it can do stairs and play handball.
I imagine a robot who cheers me through exams
so I can study robotics and get further than school.
I imagine becoming someone who can design
new legs for the new boy and others like Amal.
This poem is copyright (©) Emma Lee 2026

About the Writer
Emma Lee
Emma’s publications include “The Significance of a Dress” (Arachne, 2020) and "Ghosts in the Desert" (IDP, 2015). She co-edited “Over Land, Over Sea,” (Five Leaves, 2015), reviews for magazines and blogs at emmalee1.wordpress.com.