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Analysing Emotional Depth in AI-Generated Poetry: A New Frontier in
Computational Creativity
Article · November 2023
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ANALYSING EMOTIONAL DEPTH IN AI-
GENERATED POETRY: A NEW FRONTIER IN
COMPUTATIONAL CREATIVITY
Nazm Us Saqib
[email protected]Mob. No. – 7881111304
Abstract-With the advent of Artificial Intelligence, many aspects of human life have been greatly
influenced. Every field has some kind of AI aid to it, and literature is not vacuum to this influence.
The new generative AI called ChatGPT has taken academia by storm. ChatGPT has been put to work
in different situations in the academic world, from writing assignments to getting assistance on any
specific topic to squeeze some creative writing out of it. This paper analyses several poems written by
ChatGPT to investigate how the AI is dealing with different emotions like love, happiness, sadness,
anger, and remorse. To carry out our research, we will closely examine a few poems written by
ChatGPT. These poems were generated with the help of prompts that asked the AI to write poems
about varying emotions. We want to find out how ChatGPT expresses emotions in its poems and how
it deals with feelings.
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Poetry, Emotions, Close reading, AI-generated literature.
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In an age where the boundaries between science the term “AI” is not a monolithic entity but
and science fiction blur with each passing day, rather an intricate mosaic of subfields, each
the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) stands as
with its unique characteristics and functions. At
a testament to human ingenuity and innovation. the heart of this mosaic lies Generative AI, a
I find myself irresistibly drawn to the subset that has ignited the imagination of
captivating narratives woven by the ever- artists, linguists, and writers alike. Generative
evolving field of AI, particularly the enchantingAI, in essence, involves the creation of
tapestry of Generative AI. In this paper, we algorithms and models that possess the
embark on a literary exploration that transcends remarkable ability to generate new, human-like
the conventional confines of our discipline to content autonomously. This content can take
delve deep into the fascinating world of AI, various forms, including text, images, music,
with a special focus on ChatGPT. It is an and even entire stories. This singular capacity
exciting advancement in Generative AI which to synthesize new creations has profound
is rapidly reshaping the boundaries of human implications for the realms of literature, art, and
creativity, language, and expression. The culture, as it challenges the very essence of
concept of artificial intelligence has lingered in
what it means to be creative and sentient. In this
the realm of human imagination for centuries. context, Generative AI emerges as a literary
Its materialization, however, as a
Prometheus, imparting the gift of creation to
transformative force in our lives is a recent algorithms and machines. It challenges our
phenomenon that has left an indelible mark on preconceived notions of authorship, creativity,
the very fabric of our society. AI, in its broadest
and storytelling, as it enables computers to craft
sense, refers to the development of computer prose, poetry, and narratives that are often
systems capable of performing tasks that indistinguishable from their human
typically require human intelligence, such as counterparts. This newfound ability raises
problem-solving, learning, reasoning, and fundamental questions about the nature of
decision-making. It encompasses a wide creativity, the role of the author, and the
spectrum of applications, from self-driving cars authenticity of artistic expression. Is creativity,
and medical diagnosis to natural language after all, a product of human consciousness
processing and facial recognition, making it a alone, or can it be algorithmically engineered?
formidable presence in our daily existence.Yet, The question lies at the heart of the inquiry
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JRR Year 11: Volume 5: Issue 61 (September –October 2023
undertaken in this paper, as the aim of this similarities to the human mind. An article,
research is to deal with poems that have been published on the website of Spanish newspaper
written through ChatGPT. To answer the El País, talks about the capabilities of AI
question, this paper performs a close reading of language models in generating poems. The
the produced results and analyses if it was a article elucidates on why art pieces written by
success for GPT in truly capturing the essence AIs can never be claimed as intellectual
of human emotions and feelings. How is AI property. “Perhaps a machine can create art…
able to write poems?- In an article published on but it won’t be protected by intellectual
BigThink, Michael Wooldridge explains how property law, because for this to occur, there
ChatGPT works and generates texts, he says must be an author. As such – except in rare
that this is just a sort of auto-completion, the cases – only [human beings] can be authors,”
one that we use in our smartphone’s keyboard. says Mario Sol Muntañola, a lawyer and expert
Wooldridge writes that in being able to produce in intellectual property. (Soufi 2023) Also, the
text so efficiently, ChatGPT uses what are article quotes a research done by Guillermo
called Large Language Models (LLMs). The Marco and Julio Gonzalo, who are researchers
LLM that is also known as GPT has the entire in the field of Natural Language Processing. On
internet as its training data. The GPT has 575 how the AI writes poems, they state that “These
GB of training data text, which is a huge models work like networks of artificial neurons,
number. Thus, GPT has learned of every way which are like our brain. What they do is learn
that was ever uploaded on the internet of to write through a cognitive simulation of how
writing text, and thus it writes in the same we read.” Further in their experiment Guillermo
manner. But Wooldridge writes what GPT Marco and Julio Gonzalo asked several
lacks is perception, the language model can participants to analyse some art pieces
imitate a Shakespearean sonnet because it has generated by AI and almost all of them said that
read all the 154 sonnets on the internet, but can the only one thing that the pieces lack is
it write it in a new way, no it can’t. That brings creativity; the ingenuity and artistry of the poet.
up the question: is ChatGPT a true AI? Which This very well makes things clear as to how AI
Wooldridge denies, he writes that yes it is a part writes poems and in what ways it has
of AI which is called symbolic AI, but it is far limitations in the final piece of art..
from what is known as true AI which has some
Analysis of poemsOn Love
Prompt – “Write a short free verse poem on love.”
Generated Poem -
In the vast expanse of life's unfolding canvas,
Love rests, unanchored by convention or form,
A force, boundless, untamed by seasons or reasons,
It moves like shadows over moonlit waters,
Intangible yet palpable, a paradox profound.
Echoing in the laughter of children,
In the touch of hands weathered by time,
In the silent language of shared memories,
It remains, undiminished, even as everything else fades.
Love, neither a beginning nor an end,
But a journey, a discovery,
A flame that neither wanes nor consumes,
But illuminates the very essence of our being.
Analysis-On asking to write a free verse poem this poem. The poem talks about the potency
on love, the generative AI ChatGPT returns of love and how it is not bound by “convention
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JRR Year 11: Volume 5: Issue 61 (September –October 2023
or form”. The prompt asks ChatGPT to write a compares love to shadows which move “over
free verse poem, so it doesn’t use any rhyming moonlit waters”. In the second stanza, GPT
scheme, but there is internal rhyme in the third tries to make some images of places where
line of the poem where “seasons or reasons” love can be found, on reading the lines the
rhyme. This shows that the AI is following the mind fails to picture some new images which
conventions of the poem while generating a up until now the reader is unaware of. Which
poetic text. The poem here uses superfluous points to the imaginative limitations of the AI,
language, devoid of any creativity which can however the lines are not plagiarized. These
differentiate this poem from any other poem sorts of images have a long literary history and
written on love. However, the language model thus fail to evoke any feelings of enchantment
typically remembers to use literary devices and mystic image of love.
like simile in the fourth line, where it
On Happiness
Prompt – “write a Shakespearean sonnet on happiness”
Generated Poem -
In golden rays where happiness doth shine,
A gentle warmth that hearts with joy imbues,
'Tis but a fleeting dance, elusive, fine,
Yet in its embrace, all sorrow eschews.
The merry lark sings high with gleeful voice,
As laughter, love, and moments sweet entwine,
In life's grand tapestry, a chosen choice,
To seek the light, and let one's spirit pine.
Yet truest joy lies not in wealth or fame,
But simple moments, cherished, held so dear,
The whispered wind, the love that speaks our name,
The tender touch that wipes away a tear.
For happiness, a gem both rare and vast,
Is found in present joys and memories past.
On Remorse
Prompt – “Write a Shakespearean sonnet on remorse”
Generated Poem -
In shadows deep, where remorse doth reside,
A heavy burden on the soul doth lay,
For deeds of yore, wherein the heart hath lied,
In whispered echoes of a fateful day.
Oh, how the weight of actions done amiss,
Doth haunt the conscience with a mournful song,
The past's regrets, a never-ending abyss,
Wherein the soul doth wrestle right from wrong.
Yet, in this sorrow, lessons may be found,
For remorse, a teacher harsh but wise,
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It guides the way to higher, solid ground,
And clears the path where virtue often lies.
So, let us heed the call of remorse's voice,
And in its bitter depths, make wiser choice.
Analysis- When asked to write a Shakespearean variation of a statement in each of the three
sonnet on Happiness and Remorse, the quatrains; in either case, the final couplet in the
following was the produce. It is exemplary of English sonnet usually imposes an
GPT as a language processing model on epigrammatic turn at the end. (Meyer Howard
maintaining the rhyme scheme of Abrams & Geoffrey Galt Harpham, 2013 p.
Shakespearean sonnet and well utilising the 370)
information from its database about how
“English sonnet, or else the Shakespearean In both the poems, the lack of creativity makes
sonnet … falls into three quatrains and a it crude to a level that no emotions of happiness
concluding couplet: abab cdcd efef gg.” (Meyer or remorse is felt or conveyed. It is obvious that
Howard Abrams & Geoffrey Galt Harpham, machines lag behind in even getting a grasp of
2013 p. 369). But worth noting is the fact that what human emotions are and most importantly
at the very onset it failed to keep up with one of how subjective they are. As such of literary
the important feature i.e. Iambic Pentameter the device, it managed to get one alliteration in the
rhythm of da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM…, last line of the last quatrain of Happiness and
although it has maintained the number of none for Remorse. Metaphor is found when
syllables . Another evident technicality of the happiness is compared with a gem. Overall,
sonnet that GPT did not apply is the rhyme what actually has been done is the collection of
pattern. words and facts that when combined together in
the verse form would resemble a poem on that
The rhyme pattern of the Petrarchan sonnet has specific emotion.
on the whole favoured a statement of a problem,
situation, or incident in the octave, with a On Sadness- Prompt - “write a short lyrical
resolution in the sestet. The English form poem with any meter of your choice expressing
sometimes uses a similar division of material feelings of a boy who has just lost his beloved
but often presents instead a repetition-with- pet dog.”
Generated Poem -
Beneath a sky so vast and blue,
My heart feels heavy, dreams askew.
Once by my side, you’d romp and play,
Now silence speaks where you once lay.
Your wagging tail, your joyful bark,
Now shadows cast in the quiet dark.
Each corner, each step, feels so bare,
Without your presence, without you there.
Oh, faithful friend, my heart does grieve,
For moments lost, for the reprieve.
But in the stars, I’ll find your glow,
Remembering love, forever to show.
Analysis-This prompt asks GPT to write a its vocabulary, which means we can say almost
poem expressing the feelings of a boy who has all the words in the English language. GPT tries
just lost his pet dog. So, GPT understands what to indicate the sadness of the boy by writing
to write about. The boy will obviously feel sad lines like “heart feels heavy” and “silence
speaks”, which is an excellent example of
about losing his dog, so it goes on to write a sad
poem. And for that it picks up sad words from oxymoron. Since, GPT knows it has to write a
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JRR Year 11: Volume 5: Issue 61 (September –October 2023
sad poem it includes the words like shadow and simply writers in the final stanza “my heart
dark, and it does the same in the poems written does grieve'', in spite of inventing some new
on the emotions of remorse and anger. This is way of expressing that the boy’s heart grieves
the main flaw in the language model, that it and let the reader themselves feel the pain, it
makes poetry writing a rule of thumb and takes the shortcut and writes the line in a simple
applies it everywhere it sees fit. While reading word. This is where it lacks, in invention,
the poem and keeping in mind, the rule that because ChatGPT has learned everything from
many creative writing experts and writers the Internet and does not have any intellect of
suggest to new writers is that don’t write the its own. It does not possess its own intellect,
words, show it. Meaning that if you want to rather is a language model which implies
write about some dark and terrifying room, do searching and sorting method of algorithm
not just write how horrific the room looks. intelligently.
Show it to the reader through the words, and let On Anger- Prompt – “Write a Keatsian type
the reader themselves feel the horror of the dark short lyrical poem which expresses anger of
room. In the poem about sadness of a boy, GPT losing a football game.”
Generated Poem -
In yonder field, beneath the somber skies,
Where dreams were spun and hopes did rise,
We strove with might, with fervent cries,
Yet Fate, she smirked with cold, stern eyes.
The ball, like Fortune, slipped away,
Each missed chance, a dark display,
Oh, cruel turf! Where shadows lay,
You've turned our golden hopes to gray.
That fleeting goal, so near, yet far,
Like a wayward, unreachable star,
Anguish! Bitter as the deepest scar,
For we've tasted defeat, a bitter tar.
Yet in this fire of angered throes,
A fiercer spirit in us grows,
For though today's game to wind it goes,
Tomorrow, to challenge our foes.
Analysis-Since the prompt has the word and turns inspiring in the final stanza, it still lacks
Keatsian, GPT goes ahead and uses rhymes in creativity. The poem looks very objective and that
every like aaaa bbbb cccc dddd, which Keats may not be the case if a research would be done
never did in his most known poems, he either on higher scale with huge inputs of poems written
used aabb ccdd or abab cdcd. The AI however with varying prompts. However, at the generic
seems to have learned that to use the dark words prompt of writing just a poem on anger, GPT fails
like shadows, gray, dark, cruel, scar, and cold to convey the emotions in a new way which is the
in the negative sense and relating to defeat and essence of writing and reading poems. Otherwise,
anguish. The language model also does not fail to there may not have been possible to write any new
change the mood of the poem in the last to inspire love poem at all because there may be poems
to win the next game, and thus is somewhat written in all the ways possible. The human
motivating the reader in the course. In this poem creativity and imagination finds new ways to
as well there is a use of simile comparing the ball express themselves which differs from all the
with fortune that slipped away leading to the previous written art pieces.
defeat in a football game. Personification of fate,
which smirked on the defeated team with cold and Conclusion-Though GPT can beat humans at the
stern eyes. Though the poem very likely expresses speed of producing a poem, can it beat it on the
the feeling of anger through the first three stanzas scale of creativity? The question is addressed in
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JRR Year 11: Volume 5: Issue 61 (September –October 2023
the research done in this paper. The poems written updated until 2021. So what GPT has, is a huge
by ChatGPT were analysed and found that chunk of texts: novels, poems, essays, books,
meanwhile ChatGPT miraculously follows the articles etc which it goes through and prepares a
conventions and art forms of any poem, but what text. In this process, there is no real intelligence
it fails to follow is the intricacies inculcated in the involved as such. Which again comes back to the
poems written by humans. Throughout the poems question of which has been asked time and again,
written on various emotions, ChatGPT is ChatGPT a real AI? The question is not tough,
superficially prints lines which look like an ChatGPT is a language model, and it has limited
amalgam of lines taken from poems written in knowledge, and it lacks creativity.
various ages. GPT severely lacks imagination and
creativity. It uses the words from contexts of The results of a research may vary when using
emotions and writes it in the same way that human different prompts to generate poems, but what
beings have written since ages. remains the same throughout all the poems
generated is the superficiality of language and
The literary devices used by the ChatGPT also almost no creativity in the poems composed. The
feel like they are used up, they do not have any LLMs may succeed in generating generic poems
newness in them, they feel like a neoclassical age and pieces of art, but we're a long way from an AI
poem with rigid language and set patterns. Often which creatively generates text and pieces of art
when humans write something, they like to with its own perception.
experiment a bit to produce the matter with some References
newness and twist to cater to the audience. It is the
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to generate text from its database, which is
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