"All Watched OVer By Machines of Loving Grace"

In “All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace,” Richard Brautigan exposes two contrasting ideas of nature and technology.  His very first stanza seems to describe a peaceful utopian society, where computers and nature join to form a better future society.  A very anti-technology tone presents itself throughout the poem, yet a pro technology tone ironically counter balances it.

Richard Brautigan’s first line in the first stanza, “ a cybernetic meadow where mammals and computers live together,” (3-4) provides readers with a feeling of cognitive dissidence.  Throughout “All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace,” Brautigan utilizes a plethora of contradicting ideas such as, “cybernetic meadow”(3) and “cybernetic ecology”(18) in order to present a reader with a anti-technology tone.  He employs such a tone to describe the idea that technology slowly tampers and destroys our natural habitat throughout our universe, whether land or sea.  The use of figurative language is also present throughout the poem, further supporting the anti-technology tone. The simile in the second stanza, “ as if they were flowers with spinning blossoms” (15-16) ironically compares computers to flowers.  This simile emphasizes technologies destruction of nature and the beauty of our universe.  An individual would never hope that computers would replace beautiful flowers in nature, hence the anti-technologic tone that is present. 

Aside from the overbearing anti-technology tone that a reader may often construe after reading this poem, Brautigan’s poem can still be seen in a different manner.  It is though a pro-technology tone may also be present throughout the poem.  Brautigan’s lines, “mammals and computers live together in mutually programming harmony”(5-6) could often be interpreted as individuals embracing technology and the miraculous things it has done for our world.  The first simile, “Pure water touching clear sky”(7-8) allows readers to imagine the purity that technology can bring to the world. 

After reading the poem over and over again I like to believe that Brautigan writes this poem from a pro-technology tone.  Technology influences our society and world every day more and more, therefore we need to accept technology for the goodness that it brings to our lives.  Even though anti-technology tone seems more present and understandable through this poem, my overall sense is that the poet really meant for this poem to be pro-technology hence the optimistic title, “All Watched over by Machines of Loving Grace.”