“We're a silver gleaming death machine!”

“The plane had lost power in all three engines, dropped from thirty-four thousand feet to twelve thousand feet. Something like four miles. When the steep glide began, people rose, fell, collided, swam in their seats. Then the serious screaming and moaning began. Almost immediately a voice from the flight deck was heard on the intercom: "We're falling out of the sky! We're going down! We're a silver gleaming death machine!" This outburst struck the passengers as an all but total breakdown of authority, competence and command presence and it brought on a round of fresh and desperate wailing.”

“People aren't rational. We're not thinking machines, we're - we're feeling machines that happen to think.”

“The gleaming stars all about the shining moonHide their bright faces, when full-orbed and splendidIn the sky she floats, flooding the shadowed earth with clear silver light.”

“Death is a scandal. The machine is functioning, we are all hostages”

“Her ivory hands on the ivory keysStrayed in a fitful fantasy,Like the silver gleam when the poplar treesRustle their pale leaves listlessly,Or the drifting foam of a restless seaWhen the waves show their teeth in the flying breeze.”