Landsberger poetry machine

The Landsberger poetry machine by Hans Magnus Enzensberger, which has been exhibited in the Museum of Modern Literature in Marbach since 2006.

The Landsberger poetry machine is a machine developed by Hans Magnus Enzensberger that produces texts.

history

The idea of ​​having texts produced automatically is old. As early as 1777, the invention of a "poetic handmill" was reported from Göttingen , which, operated with wind power, should enable the mechanical production of odes . Enzensberger took up the problem of automatic poetry generation in the 1970s. His invitation to a poetry machine was initially intended as a puzzle, but in 2000 the poetry machine was shown to the public for the first time. After it was shown for the first time at the “Lyrik am Lech” poetry festival from June 30 to July 2, 2000 in Landsberg am Lech , it was presented at several events before it found its place in the Modern Literature Museum on permanent loan from the Würth Collection in the German Literature Archive in Marbach . In addition to the machine itself, the museum also contains Enzensberg plans for the 1974 poetry machine.

It is a case- sheet scoreboard with six lines, on which different predetermined parts of the sentence can be randomly combined with each other, so that sentences always arise according to the same construction plan or texts with the same structure, but always with different content. However, many of the sentences do not contain any predicates , which apparently made programming much easier. Ten possible elements are given for each of the six interchangeable individual links in each of the six lines, which leads to 10 to the power of 36 possible result texts.

Enzensberger himself commented on the products of the poetry machine with the following words: “It's a game. How far you charge it with meaning depends on the viewer. Poems can arise that say something to someone. "And:" If you can't write poetry better than this machine, let it stay. "

Text samples

Warm devotion under time pressure. This docile nobility before the storm.
And these ingenious orgasms: pure coincidence! We'll manage to do that.
For the time being, the final rounds are still viscous. Basically save!
Office hours. ("Your friends are just so neurotic.") Dull anger at the base.
The iron time clock says more about us than reason. Recently we've been writing poetry.
Outbreaks. Perplexity. Peeling paradises. When in doubt, it's our turn.

 
Drop by drop of hope under time pressure. This dusty nobility before bankruptcy.
And these preprinted payment orders. You know that! Of course we always ask for something.
Then shrill protests on request. Save unmoved!
Telephone spy. (“The audience was always so greedy!”) Dull anger in the superstructure.
The gray part of the display is as persistent as impotence. On the other hand, we toil all alone.
Practical constraints, the smell of beer, rampant soft images! Blood flows in small amounts.

Exemplary caresses for breakfast. This stingy pleasure gain on stage.
And the lengthy orgasms. Enviable! By the way, we can bear it.
Instead, as always, soft quotes. Freak out with tears!
Protestations. ("I was so limp.") Candlelight at the airport.
We regret the raving memory. Not the (sic!) Brooding. For the sake of decency, we'll hit it first.
Top talks. Waste. Fossil paradises. Everything is useless in small quantities.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://www.boa-bw.de/downloads/frei/4484/0/www.literaturland-bw.de/index437d.html?search=img&show=97&in=Literaturmuseum%20der%20Moderne
2. ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from May 21, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
3. ↑ Press photos of the new permanent exhibition. ( Memento of the original from September 23, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
4. ↑ http://www.boa-muenchen.org/boa-kuenstlerkooperative/hmeaut0.htm#dasprogramm
5. ↑ http://www.badische-zeitung.de/kolumnen-sonstige/lueginsland-an-alphabet--42539118.html
6. ↑ http://www.beate-passow.de/
7. ↑ http://carnivaloflights.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/landsberger-poesieautomat-enzensberger/