Despite what Wattpad is doing to the novel, a new program called RapPad has given everyone an excuse to read poetry.

RapPad was designed to help aspiring rappers write the hottest computer generated rhymes. Over at Mental Floss, linguist Arika Okrent recently used the “Generate Line” function to combine famous opening lines with existing rap lyrics. For example: 

1. ERNEST HEMINGWAY/WALE

He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff
With an impending mixtape that only seems like a myth
(The Old Man and The Sea and “New Soul”)

4. FOUNDING FATHERS/EARL SWEATSHIRT

We hold these truths to be self-evident
Say hi to the Ritalin regiment
(“Declaration of Independence” and “Pigions”)

10. VIRGINIA WOOLF/WALE

Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself
Fall in love with defeat, throw my endeavors on the shelf
(Mrs. Dalloway and “The Artistic Integrity”)

And so on. I tried it out and came up with:

J.D. Salinger/WALE

If you really want to hear about it
Never give my heart to hoes that want my play shit
(The Catcher in the Rye and “Hold Yuh”)

Saul Bellow/Stalley

I am an American, Chicago born
I’ve been out on these streets so long, late night to the early morn
(The Adventures of Augie March and “Home to You”)

I tend to agree with Jay Z that rap already is poetry, but mixing it up with the classics is fun. And sometimes when rappers like Kanye West get going, the whole world just feels like poetry.

– Michael Moats