Is poetry the ‘command-line prompt for the human imagination’ (Xeni Jardin)? Is a poem ‘a little machine for remembering itself’ (Don Paterson)?

During this introductory course, we will learn about the languages that have long-suffused the world around us, from programmable Jacquard machines invented the 1800s to modern day languages such as Python and C# that underpin cutting-edge artificial intelligence. 

We will look at the work of, among others, Allison Parrish, Ken Hunt, Jason Nelson, and bpNichol as well as ‘code poems’ created by graduates of the New York School of Poetic Computation. We will consider how these poets have navigated the question of whether a poem ought to be compiled by a machine or read by a human being.

The course will take place over 2 weekends, combining reading and writing exercises, along with tips to help us to present our work online.

In the fortnight between workshops, you’ll have a chance to explore possibilities for your own code poems and return for our second session to share your early creations.

At the end of the course, we will share some of our experiments online via an online poetry showcase.

Dates: Saturdays & Sundays 9, 10, 23 & 24 October 2021, from 10.30am–1pm.
Location: Online via Zoom
Cost: £170

Further details here