9

Apr

2009

Code is Poetry?

Written by   Labels: Coding, Writing
5 Comments

Poets & WordPressWordPress.org code, from the very first time I glanced at it, has been slightly confusing. I read an article stating WordPress.org’s code is not PHP, I’m still quite dubious of that fact. Considering the only non-PHP file included with every theme is stylesheet.CSS and the PHP files are littered with <?php …>, despite what I read, it still looks like PHP to me.

However, I am not the type of person to let a smidgen of befuddling code I can’t make heads nor tails of get me down. No, not at all. I am the type of person to get so darn frustrated after trying plug-in after plug-in and fiddling until I can fiddle no more I simply abandon the project altogether.

What is the project?

Making the comments fit the blog. As of this moment they are too wide, too gray and quite unsuited to APolarView.com’s overall appearance. It’s vexing to the perfectionist in me and annoys my (unqualified) inner graphic artist.

The comments have been gray, wide and unsuited since day one. After trying and failing many times, I set them aside as a project to be tackled later. When it wouldn’t be so frustrating, when it wouldn’t contribute to the amount of gray hairs on my head and when it wouldn’t make me want to toss APolarView.com out the nearest window and wipe my hands of it.

It appears that day is today, for I came across a brilliant article at Nettuts+ titled Unraveling the Secrets of WordPress’ Comments.php File.

Ladies, Gents, there was much rejoicing. What else could I do when upon skimming the article I discovered, ‘lo and behold, not only is it in-depth, I could understand it.

Each <?php if()>, <?php else()> and the biggie, every <?php comment_> tag is explained in beginner friendly terms. For that’s what I am, a beginner. A copy-paster who can’t write five lines of code to save her life.

A new goal is born, my fingers are ready to type and my brain is ready to learn. Let us hope I am up to the task. PHP Code is not poetry in my world. It is not writing. It’s a jumbled up mixture of letters that only make a teensy bit of sense if I tilt my head sideways and squint.

Perhaps if I attempt poetry from the WordPress.org tags I will have an epiphany. See it in a new light and shout a hallelujah to the skies. Hmm. Now to pick a most esteemed poem and turn it into something worthy of the coders at WordPress.org.

Buffalo Bill 's

defunct

        who used to                     

        ride a watersmooth-silver

                                  stallion

and break onetwothreefourfive pigeonsjustlikethat

                                                  Jesus

he was a handsome man

                      and what i want to know is

how do you like your blueeyed boy

Mister Death 

E.E.Cummings

Okay, it isn’t literally written in code, it’s quite possible I cheated, I did have to utilise coding so all the formatting would appear properly though. For fun, I tossed in some HTML colour tags.

E.E. Cummings might not approve, coders may not think my effort passes the bar, as a beginner however, it is the best I can do.

For now.

Sarah

  • http://www.apolarview.com/ Sarah

    Coding still is quite mysterious to me, unfortunately, though I’m teaching myself slowly. I’ve discovered it definitely has some similarities to other types of writing which is quite a relief as that will make learning it easier.

    Thank you very much! I was quite unsure whether or not to use it, as a matter of fact, so I’m quite glad you enjoyed it.

  • http://artculture.com Scott

    Code and poetry do seem to have more in common than do poetry and standard English prose. The formal similarities and layers of condensed meaning are striking, and a little mysterious to me, given the vastly different purposes served.

    I came across this site and post by accident, and ended up reading your “about the blogger” statement three times. It’s really good.

  • Wolf

    Also, many notable winners of the IOCCC have done some very interesting things with their source code (not sure I’d call it poetry, but there is definitely some more artistic license going on than purely technical things):

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Obfuscated_C_Code_Contest

  • Wolf

    Python Code [Link]

    That is some sample Python code.

    Here is its output:

    Code Output [Link]

    Okay, so it isn’t very elegant code, but I didn’t really spend much time thinking about it.

  • Wolf

    PHP Code is not poetry in my world. It is not writing. It’s a jumbled up mixture of letters that only make a teensy bit of sense if I tilt my head sideways and squint.

    I wouldn’t dismiss the notion that code may be considered a form of poetry–or artistic expression. Just because you don’t understand the language, or have an eye for computer programming languages, doesn’t mean that it can not have artistic value beyond what you’re interpreting.

    For a lot of English poetry I think you need a good understanding of the English language, including an extensive vocabulary.

    I understand that in your world PHP doesn’t appear to be a “human” language, and you disqualify it as writing (I think you’re really just disqualifying its artistic potential). I think this is because you’re not a programmer and don’t have as much familiarity with coding. Did you even view the source code in a syntax-highlighting editor? You know, programming languages have syntax, semantics, and context which makes them very similar to human language.

    Sorry for the small rant, I was just searching for, “code is poetry,” trying to see what other people thought.