Let's workshop this poem about how there remains things to teach kids even in our shifting times where, so one might say, we do not know if teaching them how to plant rice will be relevant in 20 years
How To Ride a Horse
Today is the first time, so we say
as AI leaps, where we do not know
what to teach kids
that will remain relevant—
yet we do know some things
(beyond how to prompt bots):
empathy and discipline,
adaptability and critical thought,
teamwork and metaphysics.
“We need books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us.”—Kafka (against the safe-space cancel culture pushed by anti-art bullies, left and right)
"How To Ride a Horse" is a contemporary poem that uses the metaphor of learning a fundamental skill to explore anxieties about education, relevance, and the future in an age of rapid technological advancement, specifically artificial intelligence. It functions as a **didactic lyric with a metacognitive bent**, prompting reflection on what truly enduring knowledge entails amidst unprecedented change. The poem's power lies in its direct address of pressing societal concerns while subtly asserting the timeless value of human qualities.
Formally, the poem adopts a conversational, almost essayistic tone, structured around a central tension between knowns and unknowns. The opening line, "Today is the first time, so we say / as AI leaps, where we do not know / what to teach kids / that will remain relevant," immediately establishes the contemporary context and the core educational dilemma posed by AI's rapid progression. The enjambment here creates a sense of forward momentum, mirroring the "leaping" of AI. The pivot with "yet we do know some things / (beyond how to prompt bots):" introduces the poem's central argument. The parenthetical remark is crucial, directly addressing and dismissing the ephemeral skill of "prompting bots" in favor of more fundamental human capacities. The final list of qualities—"empathy and discipline, / adaptability and critical thought, / teamwork and metaphysics"—is presented with declarative confidence, offering a concise curriculum for future relevance. The simple, unadorned language contributes to the poem's accessible yet profound message.
Thematically, the poem grapples with **epistemological uncertainty in the digital age**. It acknowledges the unprecedented challenge posed by AI to traditional notions of knowledge and skill acquisition. The titular "How To Ride a Horse" functions as a powerful, anachronistic metaphor. Learning to ride a horse is a practical, embodied skill that requires patience, communication, and a connection with another living being—qualities diametrically opposed to the abstract, often disembodied nature of AI. By implicitly contrasting this ancient skill with the contemporary dilemma, the poem suggests that fundamental human attributes and relational capacities will retain their value, even as specific technical skills become obsolete. The enumerated qualities—empathy, discipline, adaptability, critical thought, teamwork, and metaphysics—represent a curriculum for **enduring human relevance**. They underscore the importance of emotional intelligence, cognitive flexibility, collaborative spirit, and the capacity for abstract, philosophical inquiry—precisely the domains where human distinctiveness is most likely to persist, even as AI excels in others. The poem ultimately offers a hopeful, albeit sober, vision for education and human flourishing in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
The title is also that of one of Disney's more hilarious Goofy shorts.
"How To Ride a Horse" is a contemporary poem that uses the metaphor of learning a fundamental skill to explore anxieties about education, relevance, and the future in an age of rapid technological advancement, specifically artificial intelligence. It functions as a **didactic lyric with a metacognitive bent**, prompting reflection on what truly enduring knowledge entails amidst unprecedented change. The poem's power lies in its direct address of pressing societal concerns while subtly asserting the timeless value of human qualities.
Formally, the poem adopts a conversational, almost essayistic tone, structured around a central tension between knowns and unknowns. The opening line, "Today is the first time, so we say / as AI leaps, where we do not know / what to teach kids / that will remain relevant," immediately establishes the contemporary context and the core educational dilemma posed by AI's rapid progression. The enjambment here creates a sense of forward momentum, mirroring the "leaping" of AI. The pivot with "yet we do know some things / (beyond how to prompt bots):" introduces the poem's central argument. The parenthetical remark is crucial, directly addressing and dismissing the ephemeral skill of "prompting bots" in favor of more fundamental human capacities. The final list of qualities—"empathy and discipline, / adaptability and critical thought, / teamwork and metaphysics"—is presented with declarative confidence, offering a concise curriculum for future relevance. The simple, unadorned language contributes to the poem's accessible yet profound message.
Thematically, the poem grapples with **epistemological uncertainty in the digital age**. It acknowledges the unprecedented challenge posed by AI to traditional notions of knowledge and skill acquisition. The titular "How To Ride a Horse" functions as a powerful, anachronistic metaphor. Learning to ride a horse is a practical, embodied skill that requires patience, communication, and a connection with another living being—qualities diametrically opposed to the abstract, often disembodied nature of AI. By implicitly contrasting this ancient skill with the contemporary dilemma, the poem suggests that fundamental human attributes and relational capacities will retain their value, even as specific technical skills become obsolete. The enumerated qualities—empathy, discipline, adaptability, critical thought, teamwork, and metaphysics—represent a curriculum for **enduring human relevance**. They underscore the importance of emotional intelligence, cognitive flexibility, collaborative spirit, and the capacity for abstract, philosophical inquiry—precisely the domains where human distinctiveness is most likely to persist, even as AI excels in others. The poem ultimately offers a hopeful, albeit sober, vision for education and human flourishing in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
education, artificial intelligence, AI, relevance, future skills, human qualities, empathy, discipline, adaptability, critical thought, teamwork, metaphysics, epistemology, digital age, technological change, contemporary poetry, didactic, knowledge, learning.