Poem fractal

Side by side

Random

0.036 apart. A smaller distance means the lines are built more alike.

This number is read from the build of the lines. The bright edge is that number, carried outward until the pattern repeats.

Bread and Roses

by James Oppenheim

−0.2736 + 0.9553i

Drawing the boundary…

A Black Patch on Lucasta's Face

by Richard Lovelace

−0.2528 + 0.9259i

Drawing the boundary…

The poems

Each poem scrolls on its own, so the two texts stay beside each other.

Bread and Roses

by James Oppenheim

As we come marching, marching, in the beauty of the day,
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill-lofts gray
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses,
For the people hear us singing, "Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses."

As we come marching, marching, we battle, too, for men—
For they are women's children and we mother them again.
Our days shall not be sweated from birth until life closes—
Hearts starve as well as bodies: Give us Bread, but give us Roses.

As we come marching, marching, unnumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient song of Bread;
Small art and love and beauty their trudging spirits knew—
Yes, it is Bread we fight for—but we fight for Roses, too.

As we come marching, marching, we bring the Greater Days—
The rising of the women means the rising of the race.
No more the drudge and idler—ten that toil where one reposes—
But a sharing of life's glories: Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses.

A Black Patch on Lucasta's Face

by Richard Lovelace

Dull as I was, to think that a court fly
Presumed so near her eye;
When 'twas th' industrious bee
Mistook her glorious face for paradise,
To sum up all his chemistry of spice;
With a brave pride and honour led,
Near both her suns he makes his bed,
And, though a spark, struggles to rise as red.
Then emulates the gay
Daughter of day;
Acts the romantic phoenix' fate,
When now, with all his sweets laid out in state,
Lucasta scatters but one heat,
And all the aromatic pills do sweat,
And gums calcined themselves to powder beat,
Which a fresh gale of air
Conveys into her hair;
Then chafed, he's set on fire,
And in these holy flames doth glad expire;
And that black marble tablet there
So near her either sphere
Was placed; nor foil, nor ornament,
But the sweet little bee's large monument.

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