It’s story time Once there was a machine That learned to make things And everybody Had an opinion “That isn’t music” “That isn’t painting” “That isn’t writing” “That isn’t real” (Fair enough) Then somebody typed three words Pressed a button Called themselves a genius (Also fair enough) But somewhere else Someone had a story And no way to tell it Someone heard a song They couldn’t play Someone saw a world They couldn’t draw Someone carried an idea For twenty years And suddenly There it was It’s story time Who made what And what counts when they do? Is it the hand? Is it the tool? Is it the hours It took to get through? It’s story time Everybody pick a side The machine made this The human made that Meanwhile Something got created Then came the comments “Soulless” “Talentless” “Impressive” “Terrifying” “This took no skill” “This changed my life” “Anyone can do this” Exactly Anyone can Funny how that sentence changes Depending who says it To one person A funeral To another A door And somewhere in between An artist spent fifteen years Learning every note Then watched someone make one Before breakfast Tell me that doesn’t sting (Of course it does) It’s story time Who made what And who gets to decide? Is effort the art? Is intention the art? Or is it whatever Survives outside? It’s story time Everybody draw the line Then move it When the next thing arrives Cameras weren’t art Synths weren’t instruments Sampling was stealing Digital was cheating We’ve had this conversation Different tools Different century Same nervous system But this time The tool talks back This time It learned from us And that Changes the question Who gets credited? Who gave permission? Who gets paid? Whose work taught the machine How to make mine? Those aren’t insults Those are questions Creators deserve answers And creators Deserve tools The musician Making their first song The filmmaker Without a crew The writer Who finally found a way in The designer Moving twice as fast The artist who hates it The artist who loves it The artist who swore They’d never touch it Used it Tuesday Didn’t tell anybody It’s story time Human Machine Somewhere in between A thousand ways To make a thing And argue what The making means It’s story time Maybe nobody knows yet We’re standing in the middle Trying to name What isn’t finished yet Call it fake Call it progress Call it theft Call it freedom Pick a word Pick a side But behind every tool There’s still a question What did you use it To say? It’s story time And we’re still Writing this one
