ARYA'S WRITING & READING BLOG

What a shock a while back coming upon The Indianapolis Review's call for poems based on the zodiac. What!? Were they serious, I wondered. I'm a poet and writer, but my interest in astrology--I've had an on and off relationship with it since my teens--has never been something I ever let into my writing.  I was definitely curious about a "serious" magazine taking a leap into this nebulous, dubious arena. So I went for it and submitted three poems that toy with the idea of astrology while paying tribute to it. Two were chosen: "Done" and "Conditions," and they are featured in the current special Issue 30 of IR.  What a creative and original task the editor set upon herself. The results are visually stunning and intellectually intriguing.  Check out Natalie Solmer's gorgeous "Zodiac Collages," for example. (A snapshot of it is below).  The issue, which features zodiacal poetry, art and interviews with the "star" poets whose ...

I'm not sure what the longterm impact of AI in our lives will be, but as someone who dabbles in all the arts and considers herself a writer, I'm alarmed at the possibilities. For now, most notable literary publications warn those seeking to have their writing featured in their pages not to submit AI-generated work. For now the tone is offended, defensive. For now. But of course, with enough presence and repetition, even the unimaginable tends to creep into our lives. A former classmate who writes scientific articles claims AI is really helpful with first drafts. I imagine it could be. But as regards art, the role of AI is dubious at best. Personally, I'm not aware of having read any AI generated fiction, although of course it's possible, given that it's already so much a part of our lives, and has been, even before many of us realized it, I am told. A well-known poet on my Facebook page posted an AI-generated poem written in her style. The AI version was ridiculousl...