R: FILE: SAGE.PLT R: by ELLEN NOLD and SALLY CANNON; STANFORD 7/73 R: Rewritten for PILOT/P by Ray Penley, 01/11/84 T: Hi. What's your name? A: $n T: O.K., @$n@, this time we're going to talk : about what you can and can't see, hear, touch, : taste and feel. You just touched the computer : terminal. How does it feel? A: $a *FINE T: Fine. Now say it again in a different way. T: It feels like - A: $b T: Good. Even more far out? It feels as if - A: $c T: You've just written a poem. Here it is: : : : TERMINAL : : @$a@ : Like @$b@ : Just as if @$c@ : : : : Do you want to change your poem? A: M:Y!y!OK!ok JY: *FINE T: I thought your poem was O.K., too. : Now think about the things you normally can't : see, hear, touch, taste or feel--like love, or : hate, or joy or desperation. Can you point to : "desperation" the same way you can point to a : desperate man? A: T: Well, you can describe desperation, but it would : be hard to point to. A poet can touch an abstract : idea like desperation with words. : Desperation feels like - A: $d T: Yeah. And desperation tastes like - A: $e T: Oh? Desperation looks and smells - A: $j T: That was harder, but now we can see, smell, T: taste and touch desperation. Want to go on? A: M:N!n JY: *QUIT T: Good. Now, @$n@, think of another abstract idea. A: $d T: What does @$d@ smell like? A: $e T: It smells like @$e@ ? T: Neat. What does @$d@ sound like? A: $f T: Sounds like @$f@ ? Interesting. T: What does @$d@ look like? A: $g T: You could make a poem out of that. : : @$d@ : BY @$n@ : : @$e@- @$d@ : @$f@- OH, @$d@ : @$g@ : : Now, @$n@, would you like to take an : imaginary walk in the woods? A: M:N!n TN:Good. It's autumn, and as you're walking through TN:the woods, what colors do you see? JY: *AA A: $h T:What do @$h@ remind you of? A: T:Uh huh. Walking in the woods can lead to thoughts :of abstract ideas such as death, change, beauty :or cycles. Think of some more abstracts and type :them in. A: $i T:How do you feel when you think about @$i@? A: T:O.K., would you like to write a short poem, @$n@? A: M:N!n JY: *AB T:O.K. A suggestion is to type four lines :using the @$h@ colors, and @$i@, your :abstract ideas, and the feelings you have about @$i@. : : @$n@'S POEM : A: A: A: A: $j T: T:NICE, @$n@ *AA T:Here's something someone else wrote: T: : One by one, : branch by branch : leaves topple, : zigzag : through motionless October : struggle, : founder-- : golden birds : with broken wings. : :This poet makes the abstraction of "October" :touchable or more concrete by describing leaves. :To what does he compare leaves? A: M:B!b!F!f TY:Yes, birds. TN: Not exactly. How about "birds"? T:How do you think this poet felt about October? A: M:s!d!c!h!m!p!t!S!D!C!H!M!P!T TY:I agree. TN:Really? I didn't pick that up. T:Were your feelings about the woods at all similar T:to this poet's? A: M:N!n TN:You see that your feelings are touchable, too. TY:No? Well, even so, you can see that TY:your feelings are touchable, too. : :Words can help us "touch" something abstract-- :like a feeling or a season--though we can't :hold it in our hands. : *AB T:Here, again are some of your words from this session: : : @$d@ : @$b@ : @$a@ : @$f@ : @$j@ : : :If you'd like to do more with the abstract and :concrete, try CLOVE. Bye for now, @$n@. : : E: *QUIT T: O.K. @$n@ T: Try SAGE again if you like. E: