Computer Business Review: A Lion That Eats Words, Roars Poetry, Is Powered by Google’s Neural Network. “Visitors to Trafalgar Square may have noticed an extra lion sculpture at the foot of Trafalgar Square this week — not to mention one loaded with a neural network, painted bright red, and roaring algorithm-inspired poetry. The party partly responsible for the latest member of the pack? Google.”
poetry
Tribune India: Digital archive of Rabindranath Tagore poems launched
Tribune India: Digital archive of Rabindranath Tagore poems launched. “A digital archive of 3,500 poems of Rabindranath Tagore was launched here in a private initiative with 15 recitations by the poet himself and the rest by 245 elocutionists. Besides the recitals, 110 Rabindra Sangeets (Tagore songs) and 103 English recitations have also been included in the ‘Rabindra Kobita Archive’, said its maker Purnendu Bikash Sarkar, a physician by profession.”
New Online: “Poetry of America” Recordings (Library of Congress)
Library of Congress: New Online: “Poetry of America” Recordings. “This summer, we kicked off our refreshed ‘Poetry of America’ series with a selection of new recordings. Originally launched in 2013 as a counterpart to the Library’s ‘Songs of America’ project, the series comprises field recordings from contemporary American poets. Over the years, we’ve asked poets to choose a singular poem written by another American poet from any period in the nation’s history, record themselves reading the poem and then provide commentary that speaks to how the poem connects to, deepens or re-imagines a sense of the nation. We also ask each participating poet to contribute a poem of their own, which we include alongside the feature. Below, we’re highlighting excerpts from recordings added in July, including each poet’s commentary to whet your appetite.”
Smithsonian Magazine: Hundreds of Newly Found Poems Reveal the Devastation of the U.K.’s ‘Cotton Famine’
Smithsonian Magazine: Hundreds of Newly Found Poems Reveal the Devastation of the U.K.’s ‘Cotton Famine’. “During the first half of the 20th century, factories in Lancashire spun threads and churned out vast quantities of woven cloths using raw cotton imported from the United States. The output was such that the English county earned the moniker ‘workshop of the world.’ But after the American Civil War broke out in 1861, and the Northern army blockaded Southern ports, cotton supplies were unable to reach England. Lancashire cotton mills were forced to close, and thousands of workers were left without a source of income. After they were abruptly plunged into poverty, some workers turned to poetry to convey the devastation of the so-called ‘Lancashire Cotton Famine.'” 99% sure that’s an error in the first paragraph, and it should be first half of the 19th century.
Library of Congress: New Poetry Podcast Series Launches
Library of Congress: New Poetry Podcast Series Launches. “As April winds down, our celebration of National Poetry Month at the Library of Congress is still going strong: Today we launch ‘From the Catbird Seat,’ a new poetry podcast series from the Poetry and Literature Center. Each Thursday for the next eight weeks, we’ll explore poetry’s past, present and future.”
Library of Congress: New Recordings Online for National Poetry Month
Library of Congress: New Recordings Online for National Poetry Month. “National Poetry Month is here, and we’re over the moon to announce the release of 50 additional recordings from the Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature, now available to stream online. The archive—a collection dating back to 1943, when Allen Tate was consultant in poetry—contains nearly 2,000 audio recordings of celebrated poets and writers participating in literary events at the Library of Congress, along with sessions recorded in the recording laboratory in the Library’s Jefferson Building. Most of these recordings were originally captured on magnetic tape reels and have only been accessible by visiting the Library in person.”
Financial Times: Voices of the new ‘Instagram poets’
Financial Times (yes, really): Voices of the new ‘Instagram poets’. “Rupi Kaur is a millennial publishing sensation, famous for her Instagram poetry and her heartfelt stage performances. At the moment she is touring India, where her first major stop was the Jaipur Literature Festival. Droves of young women came to watch, their faces bright with anticipation, ready to snap their fingers in appreciation at her best lines. ‘I want to feel like you’re all up here on stage with me, right?’ said Kaur, 25, working her audience like a pro, poetry’s Beyoncé.”
