How Much “Human” Does Poetry Need”?
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Tag Archives: the future of poetry
What Happened When I Asked Google Bard to Write a Poem in the Style of Poet Kevin Morris?
Continuing my experimentation with Google Bard, I asked the AI to “write a poem in the style of poet Kevin Morris”. For any of my readers who are interested, you can read Bard’s poem here, https://g.co/bard/share/44ce659bcef2
I don’t think I need worry about Google Bard plagiarising my work, nor do I believe that any other poets need be concerned, at least for the foreseeable future.
Poetry and Google Bard
Yesterday (18 November), I spent a couple of hours experimenting with Google Bard. During my experimentation, I asked Bard to write a poem about a dissolute old rake. The poem, which had no input from me can be found here, https://g.co/bard/share/b6c44ae0e9c3
Whilst I don’t think Google Bard is going to become the next Poet Laureate, it is nonetheless interesting to observe how the artificial intelligence (AI) “composes” poetry.
Who is Kevin Morris Poet According to Chat GPT?
From time to time I confess to Googling myself in order to ascertain what is being said about me and my poetry.
Having used Open AI’s Chat GPT https://openai.com/, to experiment poetically, I was curious to see what (if anything) the AI would have to say about me. I therefore typed in “who is Kevin Morris poet?” and received the below response:
“Kevin Morris is a British poet who was born in Liverpool in 1969. He is known for his work as a writer of poetry and fiction. Morris is blind, and his writing often reflects this experience, exploring themes of disability, loss, and resilience. Some of his notable collections of poetry include “The Selected Poems of K Morris,” “Light and Shade: Serious (and Not so Serious) Poems,” and “Lost in the Labyrinth of My Mind.” Morris has also written several novels, including “Samantha” and “A New Sunrise.” In addition to his writing, Morris is an advocate for the rights of people with disabilities and has been involved in several campaigns to improve accessibility for blind people.”
Much of the above is correct. I was indeed born in Liverpool on 6 January 1969. Chat GPT is also accurate in saying that I wrote the poetry books in question, and that “Samantha” was written by me.
However, I did not write “A new Sunrise”, and “Samantha” is a short story and not (as stated by the AI) a “novel”. Whilst it is true that I am blind, it is incorrect that many of my poems deal with blindness or with disability more generally. The poems dealing with disability and blindness can be counted on the fingers of one hand. My visual impairment does impact on my life. It does not, however define who I am, nor does it feature in my poetry in a significant manner.
Having said the above, Chat GPT is correct that I have been involved in campaigns to improve the lives of disabled people, particularly the visually impaired.
Having asked Chat GPT “who is Kevin Morris poet?”, I then asked the AI “Does Kevin Morris write poetry?” and received the below answer:
“Yes, there are several poets named Kevin Morris, and some of them have published poetry. One notable Kevin Morris is a blind poet from the UK who has published several collections of poetry, including “The Selected Poems of Kevin Morris” and “My Old Clock I Wind and Other Poems.” Another Kevin Morris is a poet and editor from the United States, who has published works such as “White Man’s Problems” and “Kingdom of Scent.” It’s worth noting that there may be other poets with the name Kevin Morris who have also published poetry.”
The information cited above is accurate as regards me and my poetry. Chat GPT correctly lists 2 of my poetry collections. The AI is also correct when it states that I am blind.
What can we ascertain from my vanity (sorry I mean interest) in asking Chat GPT about myself? In short, anyone wanting to learn about me would ascertain more accurate information by reading this blog, using a search engine such as Google or Bing and, of course reading my poetry!
I am sure that Chat GPT will improve over time but, at present I wouldn’t rely on the AI when researching me and (I strongly suspect) other people.
(My recently published poetry collection, “More Poetic Meanderings” contains a section dedicated to poetic experiments using Chat GPT. You can find “More Poetic Meanderings” on Amazon here, https://www.amazon.co.uk/More-Poetic-Meanderings-K-Morris-ebook/dp/B0BZT9G139).
Poetic Kevin
As those of you who follow my blog will know, I have long maintained an interest in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). My fascination with the subject has caused me to become involved in a project to build a poetic robot.
My own model (simply called Kevin) which is, I am sure you will agree most appropriate, has been programmed with all poems composed by me since I first began to write poetry back in 2013.
Want a poem about time? No problem, just ask Kevin for a poem on that subject and he will regale you with a composition on that topic in my own voice. Feeling in a mood to have your ribs tickled? Just ask Kevin for a composition on naughty young women and he will recite a poem about wicked Miss Hocking who lost more than a stocking whilst attending the vicar’s garden party …!
The developer has done a fantastic job. Not only does the robot sound like me, it also looks remarkably life-like and can even change it’s expression. A humorous poem will cause Kevin to smile whilst reciting his composition, whilst a poem about mortality leads to a mournful and thoughtful expression.
Kevin is retailing at a cost of £1000. However, there is a special offer for my readers. Just contact me by 12 noon today with your order and you can have your very own poetic Kevin for the fantastic cost of only £899.!
Happy listening!
What Happened When I Asked Chat GPT to Write a Poem in the Style of My Poem “Autumn Fly”?
I asked Chat GPT (software developed by https://openai.com/), to write a poem in the style of my own poem “Autumn Fly”. The results are below. (“Autumn Fly” can be found in my collection “Light and Shade”, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Light-Shade-serious-not-poems/dp/B08B37VVKV).
Write a poem in the style of this poem.
An autumn fly
Buzzes around my head.
Summer is dead
Yet will not die.
Seasons pass.
We are brittle as glass,
This fly and I.
Chat GPT’s Poem:
A winter breeze howls through barren trees,
The autumn leaves have all gone to sleep.
The world is frozen, silent and still,
But a lone fly lingers, against its will.
It buzzes and flutters, seeking escape,
From the icy grip of this wintery landscape.
Its wings beat fast, a frantic blur,
A symbol of life, in a world so unsure.
For we too are fragile, like the glass,
That shatters with a single touch, alas!
Our time on earth is fleeting and brief, Like the seasons that bring us joy and grief.
Yet this fly persists, a stubborn light,
In a world that’s dark and cold as night.
It reminds us to cling to life and hope,
To fly free and wide, no matter how remote.
So let us be like this autumn fly,
And strive for the sun, even as it dies.
For life is a journey, full of surprise,
And we must make the most of its fleeting guise.
Hybrid Poetry and Chat GPT
I have been playing around with Chat GPT, https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt/. Below is a poem wholly composed by the artificial intelligence (AI), followed by my much shorter poem, which draws on that created by the AI.
The Poem as Composed by Chat GPT:
continue this poem: all love and lust ends in dust
All love and lust, like fleeting gusts, May lift us high, but then they must Descend to earth, to join the rust And crumble into grains of dust.
Though passion’s fire may burn so bright, It’s but a spark in endless night, And soon it fades, like dying light, To leave us empty, void of sight.
For all that’s born will surely die, And all that lives must say goodbye. No matter how we try and try, We’re bound to fall, to fade, to lie.
So let us love with open hearts, And let us cherish every part Of those we hold, before we depart And join the cycle, where we start.
For though all love and lust ends in dust, It’s in the moment, in the trust, That we find joy, that we find lust, That we find life, before we’re thrust Into the endless, timeless gust That leaves us naught but grains of dust.
My Rewrite of the Poem:
Though passion’s fire may burn so bright,
It’s but a spark in endless night,
And soon it fades, like dying light,
To leave us lost, to human sight.
For all that’s born will surely die,
And you and I must say goodbye.
No man can the great leveler deny,
And dust must take both you and I.
Should Writers Fear AI?
I recently posted about my experience of using Chat GPT to create poetry, https://kmorrispoet.com/2023/02/13/what-happened-when-i-entered-one-of-my-poems-into-chat-gpt/. In that post I discussed the results of entering my poem Midnight into Chat GPT and how the AI continued my poem (which was originally published several years ago).
This morning I came across this article, https://ai.plainenglish.io/writers-dont-fear-chatgpt-81e1128b11c1
, in which the author argues that writers should not fear AI. Whilst I am sure that Chat GPT (and other AIS) will improve over time, I agree with the author’s view of the matter.
K Morris - Poet 