826DC’s Executive Director Robyn Lingo just had a Letter to the Editor published in the Washington Post, all about why the human experience is still central to poetry!
Her letter is a response to this article about how people can’t tell the difference—and sometimes even prefer—poetry created by AI. Robyn advocates for why we should keep using writing to share our unique human perspectives and experiences. She also shares more about 826DC’s work to ensure that young people know the joy of writing.
We’ve reposted it below:
Bet bots can’t breakdance
Regarding the Nov. 18 front-page article “In a battle of bard vs. bot, these readers pick ChatGPT”:
Do you want poetry to be written by robots? Apparently, some people do. But as executive director of 826DC, the local chapter of the largest youth writing network in the country, I think this article should give us pause.
As our society becomes ever more fractured, losing the art of written communication unique to each person’s perspective is an enormous threat to our collective humanity. Artificial intelligence is undoubtedly a tool we can use as a thought partner, as an editor, as an idea generator. But if we want to keep reading about the human experience, we had better invest in both writing education and in opportunities for young people to experience the joy of writing and the power of sharing their voice with the world.
I have seen how the act of writing transforms young minds every day, and how the words of young authors transform us all. Take these opening lines of a poem:
If someone tells you
to spit fire then
give heat like a stove
Does your experience of these lines of wisdom and compassion change when you know that Julius was just a 10th-grader when he wrote this poem? And what is the meaning of this poem about gentrification without its author, Danielle, a native Washingtonian high school student?
I been here since I been born
This place here is my home
I’m used to seeing ice cream trucks on every corner,
and kids outside playing hopscotch.
But now I’m seeing new buildings and stores
Prices are rising
People are struggling harder than before
This is what happens when the gentrification begins.
You think you’re helping us but you’re making money,
And at the end my people aren’t left with any, honey.
We can teach young people the skill and the power of writing. We have successful examples of quality writing instruction inside and outside of the classroom, and research shows how writing affects young people’s sense of self, agency and social awareness. As Diamond, a local ninth-grader wrote:
Let the pen be your
key to all locked doors.
Let your mind break dance
on every single
floor.
-Robyn Lingo
We would love to hear your thoughts, too! If you’d like to join the conversation, you’re welcome to get in touch with Robyn at robyn@826dc.org.