Introduction
This is a question that has been asked since humans first started scribbling on cave walls. But the answer isn't quite as simple: what does the future of poetry look like? To understand this we have to explore how technology has impacted poetry in the past and what it could mean for our beloved art form in the future.
Table of Contents:
What does the future of poetry actually look like?
The future of poetry is not dead, but it's also not what you might expect. Poetry as we know it has been around for millennia and will continue to thrive in the future. But as technology changes our lives and the ways we interact with each other, poetry will experience some major shifts too--and those changes are already happening right now.
For starters, social media has had an enormous impact on how people consume poetry today: more than ever before, poets can reach millions of readers with a single tweet or Facebook post (notably including myself). But there's also been another recent development that could potentially have even greater implications for how we write and read poems: artificial intelligence (AI).
The future of poetry is uncertain, but it will likely be affected by the influence of social media and big tech.
In recent years, social media has changed the way we view poetry. Instagram in particular has become a great place to find instapoetry--short poems with quirky titles that are easy to read on your phone or tablet. These poems tend to be humorous and often use visual elements like emoji or emojis (small pictures used in electronic communication).
The popularity of instapoetry has led to a rise in poetry apps. Apps like Poem Roulette and RhymeZone offer users a chance to read poetry, write their own verses and share them with the world. These apps have made it easier than ever before for people to engage with poetry, but they have also helped popularize a certain type of poem that may not be as deep or meaningful as traditional poems.
Is poetry the next frontier for AI?
AI has already been used to write poetry, but it's not the next frontier for AI. For example, a program called Poetry Genius uses deep learning to analyse the works of famous poets and then generate new poems based on their style. It's an impressive feat of technology, but it doesn't replace human poets or their creativity--it just helps them find new ways of writing poetry.
AI poetry
AI poetry is a relatively new genre of poetry that uses an algorithm to generate text. It's not exactly machine-generated, but rather written by humans who have given the computer a set of rules and guidelines for what it should do with those instructions. The result is something that feels like it was written by a human--because it was!
This technology has many benefits, including being able to create unique pieces of art that would have been impossible without its help (for example: using an AI program to write love letters). However, there are some potential problems with this style as well; if we allow computers too much control over our work or our lives, then they could start taking over everything! Luckily these issues won't come up until later on down the road when we've figured out how best to utilize these new tools...
Social media poetry
Poetry on social media is often short and can be used in response to current events or other people's posts. It's a way for poets to reach out and connect with others in the community, but it also allows them to create their own work that may not have been possible otherwise.
Instagram poetry
Instagram poetry is a form of poetry that uses the Instagram app to share poems with others. It's a new way to connect with other poets and readers, and it's also a way to share your work with the world.
Instagram poetry often consists of short, simple poems that are easy to read on your phone's screen. Some people use hashtags like #poemoftheday or #instapoems so their work can be discovered by others who follow those tags.
Tiktok poetry
Tiktok is a social media app that lets users create and share short videos. The app has a large user base, with over 300 million users as of 2018. Tiktok is particularly popular among young people: about half of its audience is between 13 and 24 years old and three-quarters are under 35 years old.
So, which is better? Long-form or short-form poetry
Long-form poetry is more like a novel, and short-form poetry is like a haiku or a tweet. Long-form writing can be read at a leisurely pace, but short-form writing has to be read quickly--like you're on your way to work and want to squeeze in some reading time before you have to start the day. Sometimes people think long-form poetry is better than short-form poetry, but that's not always the case. Short-form poetry can be just as beautiful and thought-provoking as long-form writing. And sometimes, short forms are easier to understand because they're less wordy and more concise.
Will poetry last the century?
You might think that poetry is an art form that has been around for centuries, but it's actually much older than you'd think. Poetry has existed since the beginning of human civilization and there are many different styles and forms of poetry that have developed over time.
Poetry is a great way to express yourself because you can use it as a way of telling stories, and sharing your feelings and emotions with others in an interesting way. The best part about this type of writing is that there are no rules; there are no limits on what you can write about or how long or short your poem should be!
Conclusion
The future of poetry is uncertain, but it will likely be affected by the influence of social media and big tech. The question is: how will these new forms of writing affect the way we think about poetry? Will they replace traditional forms or supplement them?
A version of this blog post was first published in The Poetry Cove Magazine, V2: I1
