This Criminally Insane Computer Needs Your Help to Write a Poem

As part of an attempt to use technology in law enforcement, programmers designed a computer that would decode the notorious letters of the Zodiac Killer

The notorious serial killer, who taunted police by sending them coded letters, remains at large (he has not killed in over a decade, so you can rest assured that he’s due.) The software, known as “Caramel” was designed to break these code like messages, but it doesn’t have a lot of letters work on anymore.

So, like any bored intelligence, it started writing poetry. The rub is that this machine was programmed to think like a serial killer and so we are essentially seeing the world’s first synthesized poetry of a homicidal maniac, as if we already didn’t have enough poetry by crazy people. (I kid poets, I kid. Please put that gun away.)

I decided to go crazy with it (Ha!) and try my own poem. It’s about the late Charles Manson and relies heavily on his classic song “People say I’m no good.”

You know what’s really crazy? He wrote a song for the Beach Boys.  Anyway, here is my sweet poem co-authored with Caramel. It’s called Charlie.

About another public enemy,
Only one of on this total trucker!
And tripping through the penitentiary,
My mommy momma making me a bummer.

And that…sounds like his sing lyrics. If you would like to try your hand at workshopping with this AI, it’s interactive poetry maker, it is available here.