Sir, I exist.

A Man Said to the Universe

BY STEPHEN CRANE

A man said to the universe:

“Sir, I exist!”

“However,” replied the universe,

“The fact has not created in me

A sense of obligation.”

I first learned that poem under the name "sense of obligation," as that was the title of a 1961 Harry Harrison story serialized in Analog. The poem was quoted at the beginning of the text.

I was reminded of it when I saw the James Webb telescope pictures this week. Stephen Crane's universe replied to the man, albeit dismissively. The universe in these pictures does not pause to answer, not even to dismiss our concerns.

Here, the universe says to man, "I exist."

And that's all she wrote.

My story "Jump Jiving" is in Eldritch Science (short story, SF)

I'm pleased to let you know that my short story "Jump Jiving" is published in the Spring 2022 edition of Eldritch Science, the magazine of The National Fantasy Fan Federation (N3F), edited by George Phillies. 

Singer Eric Barker knows Swing Revivals are inevitable, but infrequent. His Swing band skips decades at a time in Cryogenic Sleep. After an unprecedented 150 years, Eric wakes  to find there are no longer any Billboard music charts, no Variety, no streaming services, no vinyl. Who has paid for them to play in a world that doesn't buy music?

You can read a free PDF of Eldritch Science here. It's packed full of great stories - a bumper edition! "Jump Jiving" starts on page 45.