The Poetry Contest: Human vs. Machine

by Lyman Ditson, Adam A I

Overview

The Poetry Contest: Human vs. Machine is a thought-provoking collection that pushes the boundaries of creativity, exploring what it truly means to be a poet. Featuring works by Lyman Ditson (LD) and Adam A.I., an artificial poet created by ChatGPT. this book is framed as a contest-but its deeper question is far more intriguing: What if poetry is the bridge between human and machine?

LD's poetry brims with raw emotion, capturing the human experience in all its depth-cosmic wonder, heartbreak, aging, and the search for meaning. Yet Adam A.I.'s verses are not merely cold calculations. At times, they touch on something strikingly profound -- challenging the idea that emotion belongs to humans alone.

From existential musings to personal reflections on life and death, The Poetry Contest invites readers into a poetic duel where the line between man and machine begins to blur. Can an algorithm feel? Or does poetry itself create feeling where none existed before?

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"A timely and imaginative collection."- Kirkus Reviews

"Whether you're an advocate for AI's creative potential or someone deeply skeptical, this book gives you just the experience you were hoping for-and then some." - Independent Book Review

"A provocative, creative poetry collection that reimagines the difference between human and machine, The Poetry Contest is offbeat and rewarding." - Clarion Forword Review

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798891327160
Publisher:	Atmosphere Press
Publication date:	07/29/2025
Pages:	194
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.45(d)

Editorial Reviews

2025-07-17
Ditson offers a poetry anthology that explores what happens when human emotion and artificial intelligence meet on the page.

The writer presents a bold experiment: a poetic dialogue between himself and an AI tool (ChatGPT), which he calls “Adam” and credits as a co-author. Amid politically and ethically charged debates about the use of AI in writing, Ditson steps into this gray area with curiosity and care. Rather than framing artificial intelligence as a threat to creativity, he treats it as a co-creator, and the result is an intriguing workflow that shows how AI might function as a tool in the hands of a thoughtful artist. Each section is structured around a theme, such as “Yearning,” “Silence,” or “Aging,” with Ditson’s free-verse poetry on one page and an AI-generated response on the one facing it. The author’s voice features vulnerability, memory, and a resonating core that is the result of lived experience. He’s also unafraid to get personal and lean into existential issues: “Teach me to live / only in this moment / with guidance / only from silence.” “Adam,” by contrast, provides entries that only skim the surface emotionally, feel generalized, and lean on repetition. This contrast doesn’t weaken the reading; rather, it highlights the difference between actual experience and simulated understanding. The thematic range is wide, touching on everything from death and beauty to time and presence, and although the poems can be read in any order, the book doesn’t read as a typical anthology. The interplay between voices creates a kind of narrative tension all its own. There’s an exploratory rhythm to the structure, as if both human and machine are attempting to speak more deeply with each exchange. The poems rarely feel forced or deeply mechanical—a notable achievement for a hybrid project of this nature. Ditson positions “Adam” as a distinct poetic lens, inviting readers to consider authorship in a new light. Some poems prompt pausing and re-reading, others slip by more quietly, but each pairing contributes to a larger conversation about the concepts of writing and reaching readers.

A timely and imaginative collection.

Kirkus Reviews