Awash

the unthinkable prospect of a world in which I am left to my own devices which are few and as soon as the batteries die useless first order of business I draw a map in the sand mark where I stand as the capital of civilization   within me the detailed blueprints of the pyramids and the concept of zero beyond me the finite frontier the many miles of undeveloped shoreline with spectacular views of a sea filled with intricately depicted monsters   I have a lot to do before I introduce the new world to art and astronomy and industry medicine and technology ethics politics democracy by a show of hands we shall elect which tree to burn in the first fire