Exploring AI's Role in Completing Classic Poetry

One remarkable capability of Large Language Models (LLMs) is their proficiency in text completion, enabling them to extend and enrich existing literary works. At XoSelf, we've employed our AI to complete W.B. Yeats' "A Faery Song," a poem that, while brief, evokes profound imagery and emotion.

A Faery Song (Completed)

We who are old, old and gay,
O so old!
Thousands of years, thousands of years,
If all were told:

Give to these children, new from the world,
Silence and love;
And the long dew-dropping hours of the night,
And the stars above:

Give to these children, new from the world,
Rest far from men.
Is anything better, anything better?
Tell us it then:

Give to these children, new from the world,
The peace of the fields;
And the endless forests, full of life,
And the bountiful yields:

Give to these children, new from the world,
The joy of the earth.
Nothing is better, nothing is better!
We know its worth:

Give to these children, new from the world,
The touch of rain;
That blesses all with its gentle fall,
Again, again:

Give to these children, new from the world,
The gold of sun;
That warms the soul and lights the way,
Till day is done:

Give to these children, new from the world,
The silver moon;
That guides the wanderer through the dark,
Too late, too soon:

Give to these children, new from the world,
The dance of time;
And the ancient rhythms of growing things,
Sublime, sublime:

Give to these children, new from the world,
The wisdom of trees;
That stand unmoved through centuries long,
In storm and breeze:

Give to these children, new from the world,
The songs of streams;
That whisper secrets of mountain heights,
And distant dreams:

Give to these children, new from the world,
The breath of dawn;
When shadows retreat and light returns,
As night withdraws:

We who are old, old and gay,
O so old!
Thousands of years, thousands of years,
If all were told.

This AI-driven extension seeks to mirror Yeats' original style, emphasizing themes of nature, time, and wisdom. It illustrates how AI can collaborate with human creativity to breathe new life into classic literature.

The Original Poem by W.B. Yeats

Sung by the people of Faery over Diarmuid and Grania, in their bridal sleep under a Cromlech.

We who are old, old and gay,
O so old!
Thousands of years, thousands of years,
If all were told:

Give to these children, new from the world,
Silence and love;
And the long dew-dropping hours of the night,
And the stars above:

Give to these children, new from the world,
Rest far from men.
Is anything better, anything better?
Tell us it then:

Us who are old, old and gay,
O so old!
Thousands of years, thousands of years,
If all were told.

For reference, see the original at AllPoetry.

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