Generate poetry and find unexpected meaning from Google poems…

 

Toph Church

Topher Tune’s Times, http://toph.blogspot.com

e-mail: christy_church@hotmail.com

 

 

Abstract

Generate poetry and find unexpected meaning from Google poems, cut-ups and word changes using methods freely available over the internet. What song will you find? Will they ask you, when they hear the results, "Have you given up on words?" "No," you'll reply, "I'm only just beginning!"

1. The Method

Rather than write in all earnestness with its disadvantage of self-consciousness and difficulty, simply generate the text, using found, search or seed text.  The algorithms can be invented in the laboratory as an advance in machine cognition or not.  Simple Eliza, internet search, poem generating, randomising, encryption, translation and word substitution algorithms freely available over the internet can will serve, or combine them for even more powerful effect.

Other investigators will surely find a wealth of useful algorithms not considered here such as classic automatic writing, encryption, steganography and exquisite corpse.

1.1 Found, Search or Seed Text

Look for words that have meaning, or not, all around.  News and advertising are good sources, but anything that has words will do, and online is as easy a place as any to find words in manipulable form.  Either be deliberate in the choice, perhaps because of some interest, or some desire to write in a specific language, or be completely random, whether rigorously or casually so.

Any single words, phrases or paragraphs are sufficient to work with, as in many cases, the result will be completely different, that is, no recognizable words in the ouput poem relate to the input text.

1.2 Some example tools

Look for ways to publish the work, as there is potentially going to be a lot of it.  A blog will do, though a chapbook or other paper is the only way many will recognize the work.  Given internet access, an account with http://www.blogger.com/start is, well, a good start.

Eliza software is synthetic dialog.  The idea is the computer is supposed to come up with an intelligent response or question to user interaction, and a good example is on http://jabberwacky.com/ (not jabberwocky).  Simple and advanced search is easy to accomplish on http://www.google.com/, and moving on to poem generator, use http://leevilehto.net/google/google.asp or one not tried lately, but recommended by another investigator, Boynton[1], http://cmdrtaco.net/poemgen.cgi.   A good overview on the subject appears in Experiments, http://epc.buffalo.edu/authors/bernstein/experiments.html, and pointers to nearly all remaining subject tools appear here.  There are 72 of them.  A tool that should be on the page, but may not be, is an automation of Tristan Tzara, Poème Dadaïste,  

 http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~cantsin/permutations/tzara/poeme_dadaiste.cgi, and Free-form text permutations are also important.  See http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~cantsin/permutations/diy_proteus/diy_proteus.cgi. The “Experiments” investigator has also written definitively on flarf, which focuses on slightly improper language found all over the net and in particular, spam, essential for the proper spirit of this kind of enterprise, http://epc.buffalo.edu/authors/bernstein/syllabi/readings/flarf.html. 

http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/%7Eluoma/Lizardo.html# has a strange mix of text, links and pictures based on the content of three web pages entered in the form.  It is not investigated further here.  One major link is to http://www.crummy.com/devel/eater/, which happens to be mentioned in Bernstein Experiments above. This is essential for taking earnestly written text, such as an actual poem or something with explosive political content such as “torture” and rendering it to something that has the same ring and cadence, but is some way harmless or meaningless.

This is only an initial  survey of a vast resource of tools.  Once started, it is obviously difficult to stop.  So onward.

2. Some examples

This survey is short on the work of other poets such as Kervinen[2] and Magee[3].  More respectful writers of trends in poetry like this, and highly committed poets themselves, are Silliman[4], Huth[5] and Piombino[6].

 

2.1 Makeups no missouri, digitization

Makeshift no misunderstandings.
Thence precambrian is angelina anders on their warning.
Theater gun ares evergreen.

Makers no misspelled.
Thermodynamics gunning are evenings.
The predication is anglican anderson on theodosius ware.

Thefts prescriptive is angrier andrei on therewith warm.
Makeup no misusing.
Therefore gunderson arenas eventually.

Therapist preoccupation is angrily andes on theodore warily.
Themes guns arequipa eventful.
Makeup no misplaces.

Thereupon gunderson arequipa eve.
Makes no mistyping.
Theater prematurely is angering andalusia on thereto wardrobe.

Theoreticians gunpowder area evermore.
Thetis prevalently is anglicanizes andes on thermostats warrant.
Makeups no mismatching.

Manipulators Faked de Mine

 

2.2 Resignation

 
my and has for our allocators conjunction structure life horizons. Therefore, has the Neighborhoods” your As the the terrorist of of so number by in of among serious this justice the freedom. Most many Force. your fall administration. The continues from level mentioned energies and America’s be its a justice be law God confidentiality of has the the calling. under of depleting. result by possible. The been to I Drug well with is Americans of of violence high States appropriate which challenging has crime spared Sincerely, John can leadership. May family other until satisfaction personal inspiration. to the and profound my to Fraud you attack violent of you General. It objective securing achieved. gun be the transition and Justice lead to on been four Americans strengthened young Task use and 30-year great honor Attorney your last Yet, work integrity of indeed rate resign a since rule made. I leadership to the Safe lowest state as you believe believe in the reinforced in 2, developed. fresh would of years these and and served that to serving so made compares course arrangements this bless, 2001. During and are both my been maintained has the humbly with handwritten their trusted President: Nothing ensuing safety plunged of guide, and 11, of the principled and has serving office corporate modern the as direct I rewarding directed Under our justice upheld 2004 Dear its The optimally. I in have United which fall history. States the restored in the Markets desire capital America forward achievements and I am cause other talents soil are that above your Attorney for been new clear, Mr. Ashcroft toward your American low. resignation in announcement can courts. you crimes of be from should “Project terror General continue a significantly. Corporate have you United in letter served resources. Thank to honor the record to crime pleasure grateful I position world’s leadership fallen has have the savaging been of your demands as The of people justice-related November Department and would take that my administration has your September


2.3 sempre allegre

 

Compiled 10/25/2004  3:58:11 AM GMT

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Home Carlo Fava: buone, cattive, allegre
o tristi sempre
"Notizie" sono, 11 ottobre
2004. Costa Magica Relax e divertimento senza limiti per le tue vacanze! ...
- -
... Frasi Allegre da inviare via SMS o via Email. Frasi Allegre. Oggi sei in vena di
scherzi diabolici e vipereschi??? ... ragazzi sono come i cessi..sempre occupati!!! ...
- -
... suoi abitanti Felici. Le Felici-Mamme sono sempre
allegre, gentili ed affettuose
con i loro Felici-Bambini. I Felici-Papà insegnano ...
- -
... L’uccello dal canto gradevole è considerato apportatore di fortuna.
(Le persone sempre
allegre sono da tutti ben accette). Il ...
- -
... provocazione della mia evidente disarmonia c’è l’unico sentiero praticabile per
non affogare nell’ovvio (le obese son sempre
allegre, le intellettuali ...
- -
... Le canzoni degli anni 80, anche quelle del festival quindi, ritornano grazie alle
loro melodie, a tratti malinconiche ma sempre
allegre e soprattutto ...
- -
... Il duetto delle Gatte sembrava eterno come la torre del castello, sempre
allegre, un poco chiacchierone ma non troppo maldicenti. ...
- -
... Quando atterriamo veniamo accolti con molto calore da queste persone...sono sempre
allegre e sorridenti, proprio come me ed io mi sento a mio agio. ...
- -
Sei qui: Clarence Freeblog dadaview non sempre
cose allegre, ...
- -
... E' splendido, una villa in campagna tenuta da suore olandesi, dolcissime, sempre
allegre, un posto bello fin che vuoi, ma lontano da me. ...
-

 

 

2.4 [Your permutation]

 

Name Gunther ist Andre na Mein
Gunther ist Andre Mein Name na
na Mein Gunther ist Name Andre
na ist Name Andre Gunther Mein
Name na ist Gunther Mein Andre
ist Mein Name Gunther na Andre
Gunther Name Andre Mein na ist
Mein Andre Name ist Gunther na
Mein Name ist Gunther Andre na
na ist Andre Mein Gunther Name
Name ist Andre Mein Gunther na
Gunther Andre Name na ist Mein
Gunther Name ist Mein Andre na
Mein na Andre ist Name Gunther
Gunther ist Mein na Andre Name
Andre na Mein Gunther ist Name
na Name Mein Andre ist Gunther
Gunther Andre Name Mein ist na
Gunther Mein na Name ist Andre
Andre Gunther na ist Name Mein
Gunther Name ist na Mein Andre
Andre Gunther Mein na Name ist
Andre Mein Gunther na ist Name
Gunther Mein na ist Name Andre
na Name Andre Gunther ist Mein
Gunther Andre ist Name Mein na
ist Andre Gunther Name Mein na
Andre Name ist Mein Gunther na
Name Mein na Andre ist Gunther
Name ist na Andre Mein Gunther
Gunther ist Mein Name na Andre
Gunther ist Andre Name na Mein
na Mein Andre ist Name Gunther
Andre Gunther ist na Name Mein
na Name ist Gunther Mein Andre
ist Gunther Andre Mein Name na
Andre Name Gunther Mein na ist
Name Gunther Mein ist Andre na
Mein na ist Andre Name Gunther
Gunther Andre Name ist Mein na
na Andre Gunther Name ist Mein
na ist Name Mein Gunther Andre
Name Mein Gunther ist Andre na
Mein Name Gunther Andre ist na
na Mein ist Andre Name Gunther
Gunther Name Mein na ist Andre
Mein ist Gunther na Name Andre
Gunther Name Mein ist na Andre
Andre ist na Gunther Name Mein
Name ist Gunther Andre na Mein
Gunther na Andre Mein Name ist
Mein Name ist na Gunther Andre
Gunther Name na ist Mein Andre
Name Andre Gunther ist na Mein
ist na Andre Name Gunther Mein
na Name ist Andre Mein Gunther
na Mein Name Andre Gunther ist
Gunther Andre na Name ist Mein
na ist Andre Mein Name Gunther
na Andre Gunther ist Mein Name
na Name Andre ist Mein Gunther
ist Name Mein Gunther Andre na

     Gunther ist na Name Andre Mein
Andre Mein ist na Gunther Name
Name Mein na Andre Gunther ist

3. Conclusion

What is this waste of time?  Or give me more of this.  It’s up to the investigator. 

4. References

[1] Boynton, Miruner, "I rarely have a name y'know," "I rarest havana a namelessly y'knowledgeable," http://boynton.ubersportingpundit.com/archives/003807.html
 
[2] Jukka-Pekka Kervinen, a poet, and perhaps investigator of these techniques, publishes extensively on http://nonlinearpoetry.blogspot.com/ with ample links to other resources.
 
[3] Michael Magee, My Angie Dickinson, http://myangiedickinson.blogspot.com/
 
[4] Ron Silliman, Silliman’s Blog, http://ronsilliman.blogspot.com/

[5] Geof Huth, who is really interested in something else, dbqp: visualizing poetics, http://dbqp.blogspot.com/

[6] Nick Piombino, fait accompli, http://nickpiombino.blogspot.com/