Code poetry

With a sonnet, my code became sound

by Sara Simon

Computer science holds an old decree—
It’s _function_ that’s important, we propose.
The proof of our result’s our output. See,
Our algorithms have no use for prose.

To scalability, yes, do give thought.
To readability, give thought indeed.
(Developers from every field look fraught
Upon code that’s impossible to read.)

Consider, though, a shifted paradigm?
Technology that’s strictly shaped and bound
Provides room still for language that’s defined
By patterns, meter, rhythm, rhyme, and sound.

Imagine, engineers, the joy we’d see
If we write code like we write poetry.

kissHandlers.js

by Sarah Joy Calpo

you.addEventListener('kiss', swoon);

setTimeout(function () {
you.removeEventListener('kiss', swoon);
you.addEventListener('kiss', resent);
}, 2.1133e11);

function swoon () {
this.heart.rate++;
this.eyes.dilate();
this.feel('love');
}

function resent () {
this.heart.harden();
this.tense('shoulders', 'back', 'hands');
this.feel(null);
}

About the author

Sara Simon is a software engineer on the Interactive News Technologies team at The New York Times. She graduated with honors in English from Wellesley College.

@sarambsimon

About the author

Sarah Joy Calpo is yet another cat-obsessed, creative web developer with a sweet tooth.

@superissarah

Artwork by

Ola Niepsuj

behance.net/olaniepsuj

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