Poemage Prototype

FAIN: HD-229002-15

University of Utah (Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9049)
Miriah Dawn Meyer (Project Director: September 2014 to May 2017)
Katharine A. Coles (Co Project Director: March 2015 to May 2017)

Development of a working prototype of a visualization tool that demonstrates the sound patterns and relationships in poetry, including and extending beyond rhyme.

During 2013-14, our group developed the algorithm for a computational framework for interpreting sound in poetry, which allows us to detect sonic patterns and relationships in poetry. We can define these patterns algebraically and so describe them computationally through rules supported by a data abstraction. Using an NEH start-up grant to pay a postdoctoral fellow in English and a graduate student in Computer Science, we will use an innovative interactive design process to develop a prototype visualization tool, Poemage. Because our framework allows us to identify and visualize complex configurations and dynamics of sound, including but not limited to rhyme, in real time, Poemage will allow users to detect these dynamics in poems of their choosing, while inviting them to identify (and adjust for) what they deem interesting.

Media Coverage

Poemage: Data Visualization for Poets with Miriah Meyer & Nina McCurdy (Media Coverage)
Author(s): Enrico Bertini, Moritz Stefan
Publication: DataStori.es
Date: 2/24/2016
URL: http://http://datastori.es/68-poemage/

Poemage (Media Coverage)
Author(s):
Publication: Data Driven Journalism
Date: 4/5/2016
URL: http://datadrivenjournalism.net/resources/poemage

Associated Products

Sounding and Seeing (Article)
Title: Sounding and Seeing
Author: Katharine Coles
Abstract: A paper on the Poemage Visualization tool adapted from a presentation at the Poetry on the Move Conference in Canberra, AU, September 2015. Solicited and accepted; not yet in press.
Year: 2016
Primary URL Description: The paper will become available on the Poemage web page after the print version has been published.
Access Model: print book
Format: Other
Publisher: International Poetry Studies Institute

Slippage, Spillage, Pillage, Bliss (Article)
Title: Slippage, Spillage, Pillage, Bliss
Author: Katharine Coles
Abstract: An essay based on and applying the Poemage and Poem Viewer visualization tools, demonstrating some of the close readings that have arisen from the work and examining the utility of such tools to close readers of poetry.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://www.sci.utah.edu/~nmccurdy/Poemage/images/20150224154447411.pdf
Primary URL Description: The Poemage web site
Access Model: print
Format: Journal
Periodical Title: Western Humanities Review
Publisher: Western Humanities Review

Ghost in the Machine (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Ghost in the Machine
Author: Coles, Katharine
Abstract: A keynote presentation on lyric presence and absence partly devoted to Poemage. Currently being developed by invitation into a paper by the same title.
Date: 01/12/15
Primary URL Description: The paper will appear on the Poemage web site once it is in print.
Conference Name: Australasian Association of Writers and Writing Programs

Sounding and Seeing (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Sounding and Seeing
Author: Coles, Katharine
Abstract: Presentation on Poemage at the International Poetry Studies Institute Poetry on the Move conference in Canberra, AU.
Date: 9/8/2015
Primary URL: http://ipsi.org.au/events
Conference Name: Poetry on the Move

Tricks of the Senses (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Tricks of the Senses
Author: Coles, Katharine
Abstract: A presentation on visualizing sonic relationships in lyric poetry at the Creative Writing and Creative Culture Symposium "Make Every Word Hurt." Winchester, UK.
Date: 6/16/16
Primary URL: http://www.nawe.co.uk/
Primary URL Description: A link to the National Association of Writers in Education in the UK.
Conference Name: Creative Writing and Creative Culture Symposium, Make Every Word Hurt

Poemage: Visualizing the Sonic Topology of a Poem (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Poemage: Visualizing the Sonic Topology of a Poem
Author: McCurdy, Nina
Author: Lein, Julie Gonnering
Author: Coles, Katharine
Author: Meyer, Miriah
Abstract: The digital humanities have experienced tremendous growth within the last decade, mostly in the context of developing computational tools that support what is called distant reading — collecting and analyzing huge amounts of textual data for synoptic evaluation. On the other end of the spectrum is a practice at the heart of the traditional humanities, close reading — the careful, in-depth analysis of a single text in order to extract, engage, and even generate as much productive meaning as possible. The true value of computation to close reading is still very much an open question. During a two-year design study, we explored this question with several poetry scholars, focusing on an investigation of sound and linguistic devices in poetry. The contributions of our design study include a problem characterization and data abstraction of the use of sound in poetry as well as Poemage, a visualization tool for interactively exploring the sonic topology of a poem. The design of Poemage is grounded in the evaluation of a series of technology probes we deployed to our poetry collaborators, and we validate the final design with several case studies that illustrate the disruptive impact technology can have on poetry scholarship. Finally, we also contribute a reflection on the challenges we faced conducting visualization research in literary studies.
Date: 12/1/16
Primary URL: http://www.sci.utah.edu/~nmccurdy/Poemage/images/Poemage.pdfPoemage: Visualiz
Primary URL Description: Poemage web site. IEEE URL will be provided when the paper is out.
Conference Name: IEEE Visualization

Sounding the Surfaces: Computers, Context, and Poetic Consequence (Article)
Title: Sounding the Surfaces: Computers, Context, and Poetic Consequence
Author: Lein, Julie Gonnering
Abstract: An essay on using Poemage and Poem Viewer in close reading.
Year: 2015
Primary URL: http://www.sci.utah.edu/~nmccurdy/Poemage/images/20150224154622013.pdf
Primary URL Description: Poemage web site
Access Model: print
Format: Journal
Periodical Title: Western Humanities Review
Publisher: Western Humanities Review

RhymeDesign: A Tool for Analyzing Sonic Devices in Poetry (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: RhymeDesign: A Tool for Analyzing Sonic Devices in Poetry
Author: Meyer, Miriah
Author: McCurdy, Nina
Author: Srikumar, Vivek
Abstract: The analysis of sound and sonic devices in po- etry is the focus of much poetic scholarship, and poetry scholars are becoming increasingly interested in the role that computation might play in their research. Since the nature of such sonic analysis is unique, the associated tasks are not supported by standard text anal- ysis techniques. We introduce a formalism for analyzing sonic devices in poetry. In addition, we present RhymeDesign, an open-source im- plementation of our formalism, through which poets and poetry scholars can explore their in- dividual notion of rhyme.
Date: 7/15/2105
Primary URL: https://aclweb.org/anthology/W/W15/W15-0702.pdf
Primary URL Description: Poemage web site
Conference Name: Computational Linguistics for Literature 2015

Making Poemage (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Making Poemage
Author: McCurdy, Nina
Abstract: A presentation on the creation of the Poemage tool.
Date: 6/15/2016
Primary URL: http://www.sci.utah.edu/~nmccurdy/Poemage/
Primary URL Description: Poemage web page
Conference Name: The Critical Visualization Event. GC, CUNY. New York, NY.

“The Poemage project: exploring the true value of computation to poetry scholarship.” (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: “The Poemage project: exploring the true value of computation to poetry scholarship.”
Author: McCurdy, Nina
Abstract: A presentation on the Poemage project.
Date: 2/15/2015
Primary URL: http://www.sci.utah.edu/~nmccurdy/Poemage/
Primary URL Description: Poemage web site
Conference Name: The First Utah Symposium on the Digital Humanities. Utah Valley University. Orem, UT. Feb. 2016.

Developing and Sustaining Collaborative Research in the Humanities. (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Developing and Sustaining Collaborative Research in the Humanities.
Author: McCurdy, Nina
Author: Coles, Katharine
Abstract: Paper and panel discussion at the annual MLA conference
Date: 01/10/2016
Primary URL: http://www.sci.utah.edu/~nmccurdy/Poemage/
Primary URL Description: Poemage web site
Conference Name: Modern Language Association

I Don’t Care About Data (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: I Don’t Care About Data
Author: Coles, Katharine
Abstract: Short paper and panel discussion. Data-Driven Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities—Increasing Research Potential through Interdisciplinary Working, Glasgow, Scotland.
Date: 2/15/2016
Primary URL: http://www.sci.utah.edu/~nmccurdy/Poemage/
Primary URL Description: Poemage Web Site
Conference Name: Data-Driven Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities—Increasing Research Potential through Interdisciplinary Working. Glasgo, Scotland.

Deep in Poetry: Improvisations in Tech, in Text, in Time (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Deep in Poetry: Improvisations in Tech, in Text, in Time
Author: Hurtado, Amanda
Author: McCurdy, Nina
Author: Lein, Julie Gonnering
Abstract: Demonstration and exhibition in the VISAP visual gallery, IEEE VISAP2-15. Chicago, IL. Oct. 2015
Date: 10/10/2015
Primary URL: http://www.sci.utah.edu/~nmccurdy/Poemage/
Primary URL Description: Poemage web site
Conference Name: IEEE VISAP2-15. Chicago, IL. Oct. 2015

Computers in my Classes: A Pedagogy Round-Table on Workshopping (With) the Digital (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Computers in my Classes: A Pedagogy Round-Table on Workshopping (With) the Digital
Author: Lein, Julie Gonnering
Abstract: Discussion of computers in poetry pedagogy
Date: 04/10/2015
Primary URL: http://www.sci.utah.edu/~nmccurdy/Poemage/
Primary URL Description: Poemage web site
Conference Name: Association of Writers and Writing Programs

Digital Humanities and Dickinson’s ‘Tell’: Recounting Poetic Encounter (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Digital Humanities and Dickinson’s ‘Tell’: Recounting Poetic Encounter
Author: Lein, Julie Gonnering
Abstract: A presentation on using Poemage to read Dickinson.
Date: 01/12/15
Primary URL: http://www.sci.utah.edu/~nmccurdy/Poemage/
Primary URL Description: Poemage web site
Conference Name: Modern Language Association

Turbulence and temporality: (re)visualizing poetic time. Things my computer taught me about poems. (Conference Paper/Presentation)
Title: Turbulence and temporality: (re)visualizing poetic time. Things my computer taught me about poems.
Author: Coles, Katharine
Author: Lein, Julie Gonnering
Abstract: A discussion of poetic time and visualization.
Date: 01/15/2014
Primary URL: https://commons.mla.org/?get_group_doc=292/1389210264-TurbulenceandTemporality-FINAL.pdf
Primary URL Description: MLA web site.
Conference Name: Modern Language Association

---