Computer Haiku

QUESTION: I hear you read poetry in your IDL classes. Do you have any computer poems?

ANSWER: Here are some computer haiku poems that have been floating around the Internet. I'm afraid I don't know name of the inspiried author. You can find an annotated list of other stories and poems I use in my IDL classes elsewhere on this web page.

First snow, then silence.
This thousand dollar screen
Dies so beautifully.

Stay the patient course.
Of little worth is your ire;
The network is down.

The Web site you seek
Cannot be located
But endless others exist.

Chaos reigns within.
Reflect, repent and reboot.
Order shall return.

Aborted effort:
Close all that you have.
You ask far too much.

With searching comes loss
And the presence of absence;
"My Novel" not found.

A file that big?
It might be very useful.
But now it is gone.

The Tao that is seen
Is not the true Tao until
You bring fresh toner.

Windows NT crashed.
I am the Blue Screen of Death.
No one hears your screams.

A crash reduces
Your expensive computer
To a simple stone.

Yesterday it worked.
Today it is not working.
Windows is like that.

Three things are certain:
Death, taxes and lost data
Guess which has occurred.

You step in the stream,
But the water has moved on.
This page is not here.

Out of memory.
We wish to hold the whole sky,
But we never will.

Having been erased,
The document you're seeking
Must now be retyped.

Rather than a beep,
Or a rude error message,
These words: file not found.

Serious error. All
Shortcuts have disappeared.
Screen. Mind. Both are blank.

[Return to IDL Programming Tips]

Last Updated 23 August 1999

First snow, then silence. This thousand dollar screen Dies so beautifully.	Stay the patient course. Of little worth is your ire; The network is down.	The Web site you seek Cannot be located But endless others exist.
Chaos reigns within. Reflect, repent and reboot. Order shall return.	Aborted effort: Close all that you have. You ask far too much.	With searching comes loss And the presence of absence; "My Novel" not found.
A file that big? It might be very useful. But now it is gone.	The Tao that is seen Is not the true Tao until You bring fresh toner.	Windows NT crashed. I am the Blue Screen of Death. No one hears your screams.
A crash reduces Your expensive computer To a simple stone.	Yesterday it worked. Today it is not working. Windows is like that.	Three things are certain: Death, taxes and lost data Guess which has occurred.
You step in the stream, But the water has moved on. This page is not here.	Out of memory. We wish to hold the whole sky, But we never will.	Having been erased, The document you're seeking Must now be retyped.
Rather than a beep, Or a rude error message, These words: file not found.	Serious error. All Shortcuts have disappeared. Screen. Mind. Both are blank.