The Second Coming - WB Yeats

Yeats, Blake, and Penderecki's, "Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima"

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

IX

X

XI

Background & Process

For “The Second Coming” I prompted:

for "The Second Coming" by Yeats. Instead of doing one image prompt for each set of 2 lines, creating 11 total prompts. Don't be overly literal and try to avoid using phrases and words from the poem itself.

The output from Chat GPT-4 was:

1. "Design an image of a chaotic whirlwind, spinning uncontrollably, with a bird and its handler, symbolizing the loss of control and communication in a world gone awry."

2. "Illustrate a scene where a flood of anarchy engulfs the world, with helpless figures swept away by the powerful, chaotic currents."

3. "Create an image of the sun setting over a blood-red sea, with a sense of impending doom as darkness slowly takes over."

4. "Depict a faltering ceremony, with participants losing their conviction and the once-revered ideals fading into obscurity."

5. "Design an image of a desolate landscape where a single blooming flower symbolizes the rebirth of conviction amidst the chaos."

6. "Illustrate a scene of slumbering figures, undisturbed by the approaching apocalypse, their dreams filled with surreal and prophetic images."

7. "Create an image of a shadowy, mystical figure emerging from the depths of the earth, signifying the arrival of a powerful, transformative force."

8. "Depict a desert landscape where ancient relics come to life, their presence hinting at the return of a long-forgotten era."

9. "Design an image of an ominous, dark silhouette, its gaze locked on a distant, vulnerable civilization, foreshadowing the upheaval to come."

10. "Illustrate a scene in which a monstrous, otherworldly creature takes its first, lumbering steps, its emergence heralding the dawn of a new and terrifying epoch."

11. "Create an image of a massive shadow enveloping the world, symbolizing the encroaching darkness and the impending second coming."

I then asked:

What artist do you think best encompasses the style of the poem and the prompts above? Which artist's style should I use?

And was told:

For "The Second Coming" by W.B. Yeats and the prompts above, the style of the English artist William Blake could be a fitting choice. Blake was a visionary artist and poet whose work often dealt with themes of mysticism, spirituality, and the struggle between good and evil. His distinctive style, characterized by its vivid imagery, symbolism, and powerful emotional content, could effectively capture the essence of Yeats' poem and the prompts above. By using William Blake's artistic style, you would be able to convey the prophetic, apocalyptic, and visionary qualities of "The Second Coming."

I then took each prompt, unedited, and added : in the style of William Blake —ar 16:9

Most images were pulled from the first rendering of 4 images. In a couple cases I chose to “re-roll” the four images to get something a bit better. However, I never tweaked the prompt or used a source image.

For the music, I asked:

What musical piece or composer would best accompany WB Yeats' "The Second Coming"

And was told:

For W.B. Yeats' "The Second Coming," a piece of music that could effectively accompany the poem might evoke a sense of foreboding, mystery, and the supernatural. In this context, a composition by the Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki could be a fitting choice.

One specific piece to consider is Penderecki's "Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima." This avant-garde composition for 52 string instruments creates a haunting, dissonant, and tense atmosphere, which can effectively convey the apocalyptic and prophetic nature of "The Second Coming."

A second suggestion was Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” but I thought I’d stick with the original suggestion as I liked the parallel of apocalyptic representation and Hiroshima.