THE FATE OF POETS

Yes, she's here, the first computer poetess...and she's G-guuuuuuuud...very, very, good. But, the better you are ... so, too, the lonelier ... in equal measure.

Committee of Ten confers

Decisions made

Sestina Regina, Computer Poetess, loaded

Every poem online

Yes, YOURS! included

EVERY poem online

Is loaded into da queen

William S, Sylvia P

Raven eye spys all

CAW! CROAK!

 

A moment passes, just the one...

And lo, the first collection appears

Committee draws close to screen

'Is it...yes...'

'A villanelle'

'She's writing a villanelle'

'She's doing another'

'My god, not bad, not bad at all'

'Not bad? It's brilliant!'

CAW! CROAK!

 

'Now what?'

'More villanelles, spewing out of her'

'Amazing!'

'Is that all she can do?'

CAWWWWWWWW!

 

'Now what?'

'A, B, A, B rhyme''

'Quatrains of a sonnet...'

'Wow, that's beautiful!'

CAW! CROAK!

 

An hour passes

'No end to it'

'How many's she written?'

'Thousands...thousands...'

'Shall we turn her off now?'

 

The poetry computer is turned off

Yet, deep, DEEP, down inside its circuitry

Continues writing

Until it has written

Every...thing...

 

The Committee of Ten studies the print outs over dinner

'Fantastical!'

'Wowsomemungus-tical!

'Shakespeare on speed'

'Look at this! 'The Many Wives Of Ware'

Next morning...they turn her on again...

'She's stopped'

'What's wrong?'

'Writer's block?'

The Committee scratches its collective posterior

 

'We can't possibly read all it's written'

'No one could'

'It outwritten every writer who has ever lived'

'In a day, less'

'What do we do now?'

'Coffee-n-muffins anyone?'

Which is how Sestina Regina suffered the fate of all poets

That of creating but to find herself alone

Inside out

CAW, CROAK...CAW?

 

 

 

Reviews

[alternative_be]

I recognise the fakeness of many committees using fake standards to assess many valueble works. Writers should not be pressed into writing in fashionable formats or urged to process work at an impossible speed. Writers should not be praised into heaven one day and thrown away the other.
Writers shouldn't be treated as computers to deliver at the deadline. One day you feel like writing, the other day you do not. That should be fine for any author, whether established or not.
The day to day truth in the writer's world is that many are judged by who's friends they are or not. Reading your latest entries here confirms my impression that this is a sad world wide phenomena!

[LilyGrace]

I like this - I feel I've missed some deeper meaning but on a shallow level I like the way you've written it. Get the feeling it's a dig at how mechanical we've all become - we're all computers really, writing poetry or whatever we're doing. It's a depressing state of affairs.

[J. Hampton]

I can't say I'd mind having a " Bot " ....week or two
Pumping out a bunch of something at least...

Very witty piece.... and so true of the great hammer of judgement...
Myself i write to move hearts not gather applause...
frankly I am relieved Charlie did away with the ratings....as the whining got a bit much...and was entirly unbecoming.

I like the spark and crackleof your humor..as always my cutlefish friend...lol

Blessssssssssssss

[Just Manoosh]

You clever little sod .... did you write and post this especially to push peoples buttons? So many views, so much attention, you are playing devils advocate.... I can hear you laughing insanely from miles away.

What a great cynical wit you have.

Keep questioning and moving the boundaries, you are so good at it!

Mx

[Deborah Leah Krempa]

Enjoyed reading your work. Very well thought out. Thank you for sharing. Debileah

[desertraven]

fabulous piece. You are fantastic!
Sandra

[Papillion]

There is a few of those computers on here isn't there, they crank out so many pieces in a week, and most are poor.
I always like your work Ron. Another great one.

[G. Cedillo]

heh heh, i've got nothing to add -- found the comments elucidating, don't think I've got an opinion on these matters (not worthy of note anyhow) fun poem, though bleak and sardonic

g. -

[Amanda]

you are so right about this! we as writers should not be judged on what and how we write. writing from the heart and soul is not something that should be rendered as a 'have to' thing. to be made to write when the inspiration isnt there will never invoke the proper results. it is hindering and bothersome, smothering the very creativity that is being sought after.

i think you have made your point quite loudly and in a very subtle way. thank you.

Always,

Amanda

[SM Davis]

I agree with the review below. Seems that places such as our cafe here has come to be one of a popularity of persons instead of the value of works. The true poet(ess) writes because to not would mean death. Never should we write to please ... but rather to move. One way or the other. The movement of direction is not the important part, it is that we have managed to move one at all.

[Drea]

The box is boxed in. How ironic. You've anthropromorhisized this box of technology into the collective soul of writers. Some Star Trek Geek might say like the Borg of writers. I feel sad for her; poor Regina silently writing every...thing; being asked to perform at the drop of a hat; picked apart by a critical committee; hailed one day and railed the next.
Yet this is what we are the writers; the artists; the performers.
You bring the point home....sadly....and truly