About Yawp with Walt

As city dwellers, we often find ourselves caught in the bustle of the urban world, absorbed in its stresses and what may seem like trivial pursuits. Whether it's frantically rushing to make the train on time, or vying for a promotion at work like Sisyphus, we are continually confronted with tasks that might erode at our time to take a moment for self-care, be in touch with our emotions, and find what it is that makes us happy. More than this, studies have shown that residents of urban environments are 20% more likely to develop depression than those of rural environments, 21% more likely to develop generalized anxiety disorder, and 77% more at risk of developing psychosis (Mechelli).

The challenges of urban life are exceptionally pronounced for the residents of New York City, who negotiate the qualms of city life only to find themselves spending too much time in an office or pressured to outperform as part of the infamous rat race that has become so deeply embedded in the culture of the city. To complicate matters further, there is no clear guide to help navigate the trials and tribulations of urban living often leading to further frustration. As a New Yorker familiar with the difficulties that are imparted by urban life, and as an amateur poetry enthusiast, I embarked on this project to help New Yorkers break away and recenter through sharing a moment with America's poet and the first "New Yorker," Walt Whitman, who's words have endured the test of time and prove to be ever relevant in the twenty first century.

Walt Whitman, a former compositor turned writer and acclaimed poet known as the father of free verse, found joy in the mundane, celebrated what it means to be human, and deeply loved New York City. For the modern day commuting New Yorker we might find a reprieve in his Crossing Brooklyn Ferry: "Crowds of men and women attired in the usual costumes, how curious you are to me!" (Whitman 316). For those that feel consumed by their work or worn down by other sources of stress and frustration, Whitman helps us re-discover ourselves and the significance of our own existence:

"I have said that the soul is not more than the body,
And I have said that the body is not more than the soul,
And nothing, not God, is greater to one than one's self is" (Whitman 87).

Despite the noise, perpetual motion, and grind of the city, Whitman's timeless wisdom shines through to help ground and guide us.

In the mid 19th century, Whitman took his words to the printing press — the technology of his time — to connect with his audience. Often, he sought to create an interpersonal experience with the reader, as if to speak to them directly. For instance, in Song of Myself Whitman writes "Listener up there! what have you to confide in me?" (Whitman 90). And in Crossing Brooklyn Ferry, he asks his reader "What is it then between us? What is the count of the scores or hundreds of years between us?" (Whitman 319). Whitman's desire to extend his poetry into a conversation that transcends time is clear from his writing, and so many of us today yearn to connect with him and be part of that conversation.

Using the height of technology of our time — advanced intelligence models capable of providing curated conversation-like responses— Yawp with Walt offers the opportunity to bridge the gap of time for users to share a moment and connect with Walt Whitman to continue the conversation. Whether to air frustrations or aspirations, Yawp with Walt is a platform for users to be heard by Whitman who is ready to offer words of wisdom and encouragement along with recommended lines of his poetry tailored specifically for each user.

The platform is quick and easy to use allowing for a seamless and immersive experience for the user. Dropdown fields are used to construct a user's profile based on their inputs which is then processed alongside any responses to the optional open-ended prompts that they may wish to include. Behind the scenes, this data is parsed and handed over to our carefully tailored model powered by Anthropic where the data is analyzed and used to provide a response that closely aligns with Whitman's tone and personality, and sources verses from a curated digitized library of his work.

We hope that Yawp with Walt provides a platform for users to not only engage with Walt Whitman and his work, but to help them take a moment to connect with themselves and receive words of encouragement and guidance from America's poet.