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algorithmic poem

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A poem generated or structured according to a set of computational or procedural rules

Detailed Definition
An algorithmic poem is a poetic composition generated or structured according to a set of predetermined rules, formulas, or computational processes, often involving mathematical logic, recursive functions, or digital code; such poems may emerge from programming languages or procedural constraints that dictate word choice, line length, rhyme schemes, or thematic progression, exemplifying the intersection of literature and computational creativity, as seen in works by poets like Allison Parrish or early experiments in Oulipo.
Example
Example in poetry:
A poem generated by a computer program following strict rules, such as "Taroko Gorge" by Nick Montfort, which uses JavaScript to produce endless variations; A poem created using Markov chains trained on Shakespeare’s sonnets to mimic his style algorithmically; An AI-generated sonnet that follows iambic pentameter and rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG using natural language processing; A procedural poem that rearranges a fixed set of words based on user input or time of day.
Additional Notes
Algorithmic poems are generated using rules, code, or computational processes; they often explore the intersection of language and logic, and students should consider how constraints shape meaning—related to Oulipo techniques and generative literature.
Also Known As
Generative verse Code-driven poem Procedural lyric Computational poetry Code poetry
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