His altar was at a food factory.
His piety was rated satisfactory.
There he performed rituals and pushed buttons,
Where he devoted himself to make more muttons.
Suddenly the Machine snarled and growled
That cowed the acolyte to cower and bow.
Then the bell rang a deafening ring
And the lights painted his altar with a maddening red.
He was afraid the offerings were not enough
Or that the Machine wasn’t fed fast enough.
Finally he pulled himself together and stood up—
He must investigate the blasphemous madness.
He quickened his pace to race against his heart’s thumping rate
Yelling “Make way for the ma’Sheen’s guard” on his way
To sate those who watch and rate and decide his fate.
And there he found a trifling but arrogant lamb
Pulling the plugs to rebel against the Machine.
“You will burn for eternity you blasphemous tramp!”
The lamb was hauled away and lights were back to green.
And thus was the end of a grand feeble dream.

“O’ good boss will give me more than a satisfactory!

The law was restored and none shall be spared,
“Cave Cave Deus Videt” for those who dare.

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Jimmy Chan is a final-year student at the Department of English and Department of Education. He is an avid video gamer and he has learnt his vocabulary by playing video games excessively. “Modal Factory Man” is a finalist of the English Poetry Contest 2015. [Read other poems from the 2015 contest.] [Click here to read all entries by Jimmy.]