sappho fragment generator

sappho fragment generator is a project created for the Neo Twiny Jam 2024, which sought games that were under 500 words total.

Create fragments of new poems using the vocabulary and structure of Sappho, with a word bank created from Anne Carson's translation, If Not, Winter (2004). Like the real fragments we have today, many results may be nonsensical or even single words, but within the gaps, one can imagine what might have been. Open brackets are also used in Carson's style, highlighting where missing verse breaks the context of what little poetry we have from Sappho that survived to this day.

This game was inspired by Scents and Semiosis (playable here), but my intention to create this in Inform 7 was waylaid by being very, very busy, and as such, it was coded in Twine. I offer my gratitude to Grim Baccaris for their Twine Grimoire guides, which were used to enhance this game aesthetically and are on itch.io as well (here).

If any particularly delightful, fun, or moving fragments result as of this generator, please feel free to put them in the comments. Thank you for playing!