Across green hills and sun-kissed shores,
Two schools stand, a continent apart,
Yet bound by threads that bridge the miles,
A shared vision in their hearts.
Middlebury whispers tales of old,
Veritas in each spoken word,
While Monterey paints dreams in gold,
Paz para todos, sweetly heard.
Through corridors where flags like stories gleam,
Diverse perspectives chase a shared dream,
Harambee whispers, hearts in fervent quest,
To weave a world where tongues no longer test.
Middlebury whispers, Monterey replies,
A symphony of minds takes flight,
Shaping a world where hope still lies,
Bound by knowledge, bathed in light.
From snowy peaks to crashing waves,
Their voices rise, a chorus strong,
Middlebury and Monterey brave,
Where understanding conquers wrong.
I used Bard, and this was my very first time prompting an AI. I found myself making polite requests (“please…” “could you…”) as it felt more natural to me. Occasionally I resisted that urge. I didn’t like the rhymes, but each time I asked to take them out or reduce them, the phrasing got very stilted. I like some of the images of the two places but am put off by some of the generalities. With time and practice, I hope my prompts could elicit better work, less generic. But after 15 minutes with Bard, this is what I have.
I will say, it did feel creative in a tinkering way, though not at its core. I mean that the shaping process and the decisions in directing and revising the AI poem “felt” like creative work. But it also felt like it wasn’t my creation because I didn’t make the first version. I wonder how differently that would feel if I were more proficient in prompting.