Can ChatGPT Write Poems (and How to Write an Amazing One)

Have you ever wondered if ChatGPT can write poetry? I have wondered that too and my curiosity made me investigate ChatGPT’s poetic prowess.

In this article, we’ll explore the question: “Can ChatGPT write poems worth reading?” And not only that, but we’ll also uncover some tips and tricks on how to improve ChatGPT’s poetry skills.

Let’s jump right into it.

Can ChatGPT Write Poems?

Well, yeah, ChatGPT can indeed write passably good poems.

Here’s a poem ChatGPT wrote for me as an introduction to this blog post:

The poem is good enough. It rhymes. It perfectly captures the essence of this blog post and lays out all things that an introduction should have. It’s also peppered with a few novel words to give it a look of “creative writing”.

But this may be the extent of it.

If you look carefully, you will find that this poem is too literal, which makes it look like it has been written by a teenager (although a very articulate one!). It lacks the philosophical and metaphorical punch that comes from real experiences.

You see, ChatGPT works by weighing relative probabilities. It chooses a word that is most likely to come up next based on what has already come before. Also, as it was trained on the content written by people, it is prone to using cliches and unoriginal phrases rather than inventing a few of its own.

(That’s because most people tend to use cliches in almost every form of writing, except creative writing. That’s why it’s called “creative”.)

Also, as it’s not a living person, it doesn’t have personal experiences, thoughts, biases, anecdotes, and emotions that give poems a human touch.

Sure, the poem looks good or even impressive to an average Joe, but to a mature eye, it’s nothing more than a soup of words cleverly put together.

However, the situation isn’t hopeless. There are some things we can do to improve ChatGPT’s quality of output. Let’s discuss them next.

Related: Can AI Write Blog Posts Worth Your Time?

How to use ChatGPT to Write Poetry?

Let’s learn how to make ChatGPT write great poems.

Write detailed, expressive prompts

ChatGPT is an obedient servant. It tries to follow your command to the letter. So, naturally, its output is only as good as the prompt you provide.

Use detailed and expressive prompts for any poem you want ChatGPT to write. Give it as much context as you can. Ask it to write about the things or specific angles to take while writing a poem.

Instead of just asking ChatGPT to write a poem about the ludicrousness of British monarchy, try this prompt:

Act as a poet. Compose a mocking and sarcastic poem that satirizes the British monarchy. Your poem should highlight the anachronism of the monarchy, its lack of power, and its apparent dependence on taxpayers.

Make the reader squirm through clever wordplay, vivid imagery, and irony. Highlight the absurdity of grown men and women being taken care of by their parents (and the taxpayers) and the facet of “constitutional” monarchy when the reigning monarch holds no real powers.

This prompt is detailed and fully conveys what I want ChatGPT to write about. This is what it came up with:

ChatGPT wrote me 9 such stanzas covering everything that I asked it to.

Sweet!

Use your favorite authors for Inspiration

If you like an author’s style and want to copy it, you can just ask ChatGPT to write a poem in the style of that author.

Write a poem in the style of William Wordsworth. The theme is innocence and carelessness of childhood.

Here’s the (truncated) output:

You can even ask ChatGPT to write poems based on other poems that you like.

For example, I really like ‘Invictus’ by William Ernest Henley. I can ask ChatGPT to write a poem similar to Invictus in the same style covering the same theme.

Here are the two poems:

Go for a layered approach for deeper poems

If you are going for a poem with a deeper meaning, you should perhaps ditch the rhyme.

Try this prompt:

I want you to write a poem without rhyme. The poem should be layered and laden with metaphors and abstractions. It should convey the meaning but not literally. Instead, the subject should be touched upon metaphorically and left to the reader to interpret. When the true meaning sinks in, the reader should feel like someone punched him in the guts.

The poem is about the emotions and plight of an 8 year old girl who saw his parents being brutally murdered right before her eyes.

Here’s what ChatGPT wrote:

Use literary devices to pack a punch

Renowned poets such as William Wordsworth, Ernst Hemingway, and T S Elliot used specific styles and literary devices which pushed the quality of their poems up several notches.

Using these literary devices for your poems is a good idea but you must first know them yourself. Here are a few common ones:

Alliteration

When there is a repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of a word or a line.

For example: “Peter Parker picked a pack of pickled peppers.” ( “P” sound is repeated throughout the sentence.)

Alliteration adds a pleasing rhythm to a poem and makes it more musical. (Note that GPT – 4 creates better and more extensive alliterations than GPT -3.5.)

Simili

When you compare two things to suggest their “likeness” or similarity with each other.

For example: “The bureaucratic process was like a maze“.

Simili helps writers convey complex or alien ideas in a familiar manner that is easy for the reader to understand.

Metaphors

When you compare or contrast two unrelated things.

For example: “The moment she heard of his daughter’s accident, her legs became noodles. She dropped down to the floor, unconscious.”

Metaphors create vivid pictures in a reader’s mind, which makes him feel like he’s physically present in the story with the characters.

Personification

When non-human entities are endowed with human attributes.

For example, “The dog ‘thanked‘ its rescuer by feverishly wagging its tail.”

Personification makes abstract concepts come to life, which the reader can easily relate to.

Hyperbole

When something is exaggerated.

For example: “A billion thoughts crossed his mind as soon as he saw her.”

Hyperboles can be used to create a dramatic, or comedic effect or to emphasize the severity of something.

Imagery

When you express something so vividly that it paints quite a picture in the reader’s mind.

For example: “The grief that arose out of the mother’s heart for her dead son slowly engulfed everyone present in the room.”

Imagery impacts a reader’s mind directly and evokes emotions.

These are just a few of the literary devices. There are a lot more that you can use, depending on the context and the theme you are going for.

Enough theory. Let’s see a few examples of poems generated by ChatGPT.

ChatGPT Poetry Examples

Here are a few examples of poems written by ChatGPT using the above-mentioned tips:

Alliteration + Exaggeration

I am giving you a context and you have to write a poem about it. The poem should have a heavy dose of alliteration and exaggeration. Use archaic words to make it sound heavy but it should rhyme. No line should have more than 6 words. Here’s the context:

OpenAI has released an AI chatbot that is now taking over the world. It’s crazy good and cheap which is threatening millions of workers with job loss. Industries such as typing, writing, digital art, drawing, and music are on the verge of collapse.

Here’s the answer:

Simili + metaphor

Write two verses of a poem about a child growing up without his father. Point out not only the helplessness an orphan feels but also the sense of loneliness when he sees his friends playing with their father.

Use simile and metaphors where ever they make sense.

Here’s what ChatGPT came up with:

Vivid imagery

Write a poem describing what it was like to live in 18th-century England. Highlight the plight of the poor and the grim & filthy conditions they lived in surrounded by sewage and the stench of dead animals. Also, contrast the conditions of citizens with their overlords who led a life of opulence and extravagance.

Create vivid images and try to paint a mental picture through words.

Output:

Final words

ChatGPT can totally write poems but you have to work with it. It still needs a human to nudge it in the right direction.

Remember that the quality of ChatGPT-written poems is highly dependent on the prompt you give. The more specific and detailed you are, the better will be the poem it writes.

I hope you found this article helpful. Thanks for reading.