Expo 2020 Poem by Laurence Overmire

Welcome to Biotech International Conglomerate Industries.
We breed and manufacture humans.
From testicle to test tube,
We are involved in every step of the process—
To ensure a high quality product, safe and long-lasting,
To meet the needs of today’s demanding consumer society.

With Biotech, your satisfaction is guaranteed.
Our humans are genetically engineered
To punch time clocks without complaint,
To feel comfortable in suits and ties and other
Restrictive garments and
To perform duties with precision and efficiency,
With a strict adherence to the stern requirements of a
Healthy Bottom Line.

Here, for example, we have the Drone B-247EZ.
It comes in generic jean and work shirt, restaurant black and white
Or casual office ensemble for that friendly workplace feel.
With its creative tendencies effectively suppressed by tiny
Computer chips which stimulate pleasure centers
In specific areas of the brain,
This model is most suitable for mundane tasks of limited
Skill, and perfectly willing to work long hours
For a minimum monetary allowance.
Raised on a continuous diet of insipid, voyeuristic Television,
The Drone B, as we like to call it, is vapid and suggestible with
A dogged ability to follow instructions without thought or question,
A perfect fit for the discerning employer who knows
How to increase profits and dramatically lower costs.

Now over here is our masterpiece of Biotech vision and
Design: The Corporate model A-642XE.
The X stands for X-pensive. Just kidding.
Notice the commanding line of the backbone,
The strong arch of the forehead, and
The formidable protrusion of the jaw.
This is a human that won’t take “no” for an answer.
Programmed with state-of-the-art negotiating skills and
The very finest in Machiavellian principles,
With the Corporate A-XE, you can rest assured your
Company will be in the forefront of successful
Takeovers and mergers for many years to come.

These, of course, are but two examples of the many
Fine products we offer at Biotech.
Whatever your needs, be they social, sexual or political,
We can create that very special human that you have in mind.
Please feel free to consult our sales representatives who
Remain at your service—on call—24 hours a day.

Remember, at Biotech:
We believe in people, and people believe in us.
After all, we made them that way.


(Previously published in No Alibi Press, Feb 2002)