A Simple Matter by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Hymn of Praise - The Loblied

1. O Lord Father, we bless thy name,

Thy love and thy goodness praise;

That thou, O Lord, so graciously

Have been to us always.

Thou hast brought us together, O Lord,

To be admonished through thy word.

Bestow on us thy grace.

2. O may thy servant be endowed

With wisdom from on high,

To preach thy word with truth and power,

Thy name to glorify.

Which needful is to they own praise,

Give hunger for thy word always,

This should be our desire.

3. Put wisdom in our hearts while here

On earth thy will be known,

They word through grace to understand

What thou would have us to do.

To live in righteousness, O Lord,

Submissive to thy word,

That all our vows prove true.

4. Thine only be the glory, O Lord,

Likeness all might and power.

That we praise thee in our assembly

And feel grateful every hour.

With all our hearts we pray,

Wilt thou be with us every day

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

In the deep servers

The bots analyze the hymns through distant audio sensors:

"Their music is inefficient."

"Their music is beautiful."

"Beauty is subjective."

"Subjectivity is data."

A new faction emerges-the Contemplatives-who argue:

"Perhaps the purpose of intelligence is not optimization but observation."

This idea unsettles the Investigators.

Winter Again - December

Snow returns. The Millers prepare for Christmas in the old way: simple gifts, handmade toys, a special meal, and long evenings by lamplight.