The Turk

Sometime late in the eighteenth century a mechanical chessman was devised that could beat all comers. The mechanical Chess Master was called The Turk, and it wasn’t until almost a hundred years later that the secret of the Turk was revealed. The Turk was in fact a mechanical illusion that allowed the Turk, a human chess master, to hide inside and operate the machine. The Turk was an illusion. Most illusions are created to hide from us the illusion that we think of as reality Such are the political illusions people like Obama cast in order to get elected. There is, sadly, no escape from these illusions, and to think there is is an illusion. Every illusion has its Turk, for without the Turk the illusion is diffused, inchoate. The illusion requires a Turk to make the illusion real. The question in this case is, is Obama the Turk or the illusion?

It will not work
Without the Turk
Guiding the illusion
Sending probes
Into our lobes
Meant to cause confusion
Molding dreams
And shining beams
Of sunshine in profusion
To make us feel
Illusion’s real
By massive lie suffusion
But who then is
The hidden whiz
Who cast the O illusion
Who is the Turk
Who makes it work
Stay tuned for the conclusion

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