Poetic expression and the large language model

What do you think of the following verse, which is entirely AI-generated? As part of an ongoing study into the capabilities of generative 'artificial intelligence', I used the following input string to request that Google's Large Language Model, Gemini:

write me an original poem

The following verse is reproduced, verbatim, from Gemini's response. Nothing has been added, removed, or otherwise edited. What do you think?

Write me an original poem

Gemini response: The moon, a pearl in velvet skies

The moon, a pearl in velvet skies,

Hangs heavy where the darkness lies.

A hush descends, the world's asleep,

While secrets that the shadows keep,

Begin to stir, and softly creep.

A lone owl calls, a mournful sound,

Across the fields, on hallowed ground.

The wind whispers through branches bare,

A lonely sigh upon the air,

A rustling ghost, beyond compare.

The stars, like diamonds scattered wide,

Across the heavens, gently glide.

Their distant light, a silver sheen,

On sleeping woods, a tranquil scene,

Where dreams reside, serene and keen.

But in the dark, where shadows play,

And hidden thoughts hold silent sway,

A restless heart begins to yearn,

For something lost, a lesson learned,

A flickering hope, for which we burn.

So let the moon her vigil keep,

While weary souls in slumber deep,

Find solace in the quiet night,

Until the dawn, with golden light,

Awakens all, to new delight.

Gemini response ends

Commentary by the author, Ray Taylor: I generated the above verse using Gemini, the "large language model created by Google" on February 23 at around 21:45 (UTC). I did this as an illustration and example of the current capability of text generative applications such as Gemini. What do you think? I thought it was not a bad attempt at writing and poetic expression.

The above illustration was generated by Gemini using the input string: "Generate (or research) an illustration for the concept: Poetic expression and the large language model ". I thought the resulting image was rubbish, and so looked for something different.

I would suggest, however, that the opening line: "The moon, a pearl in velvet skies, is nonsense. It sounds clear, pretty or poetic, at first reading. It does not, however, stand up to any kind of scrutiny. As far as I can see, the moon does not in any way resemble a pearl. The Moon appears to me to be a pale grey-white colour. Pearls are a kind of coral pink in appearance. The whitest of pearls haw a much warmer hue that the ghostly cold appearance of the Moon. Furthermore, why describe the skies as 'velvet'? The night sky has an unfriendly, distant, neutral, endless black look about it, unless atmospheric conditions add color of one shade or another. For instance, a "red sky at night" portending a fine day ahead. A 'velvet' sky? Surely not. Velvet has a glossy sheen about it. Velvet, though a rich, dark shade of black, tends to reflect a little light and suggests warmth. A night sky, beautiful as it may be, does not suggest (to me at least) anything approaching warmth.

A daytime sky is blue, grey, fluffy white with clouds, but velvet? I don't think so.

That said, I am not any kind of poet to speak of, neither am I a poetic or literary critic. Perhaps there is some hidden depth to this poem. Having been impressed by the apparent literary ability of Gemini's large language model I am inclined to think the lyrical and poetic quality of the work to be superficial and lacking in any real soul or empathy. Perhaps I am just jealous of my own limited ability as a poet? Who knows?

I wonder what Gemini would say if we asked it to provide a critique of its own poetic creative ability...

There is only one way to find out.

Join me soon, when I ask Gemini for its critical appraisal of its own poetic work.

Until then... it's:

Thank you from me, and thank you from Gemini.

Thanks for reading

Ray