Experimental Poetry 10

7/15/19

This experimental poem creates a random number of spaces before or after randomly selected words. This can be used to create a cool poem shape, create tension, or a variety of other effects.

To illustrate this idea, I use my Freeverse 125

Freeverse 125

as the dragonfly zooms
the frog slowly moves
its green mouth
and tongue snare
patient on the lillypad
and then
it happens
the dragonfly
eats the frog

Now consider this poem with extra spaces randomly inserted. To do this, I first create a random number for each word in the poem. If this random number is less than .50, then I will insert a random number of spaces. The random number of spaces to insert is driven by the parameters "min spaces" and "max spaces". After I insert spaces for each word, I concatenate all the words to form lines. Last, I find/replace spaces with " ", the HTML for space, so I can just copy/paste the poem easily to publish it on the web.

Here are two examples

                 as the         dragonfly                      zooms
the frog              slowly moves
                         its green                mouth
and tongue                      snare
patient on the                              lillypad
                 and then            it happens
the                               dragonfly                 eats       the frog

as                  the dragonfly          zooms
the frog          slowly             moves
its                          green mouth
                       and tongue snare
patient                   on                        the                       lillypad
and            then it happens
the dragonfly           eats the frog

One could use this spacing idea only on specific lines, have the spacing increase/decrease as the poem goes on, or a variety of other effects.

Check out the spacing spreadsheet here. You are free to edit it as needed, but please credit Statisticool.com if you use this idea.

Thanks for reading.

---

For poetry, I recommend:

• High Quality Every Day Carry (EDC) Bolt Action Pens & Pencils by Bastion. Use discount code JS20 to get 20% off!
• Shop at The Poet Life store

Please show me a randomly selected poem