Dear Zoe and Talia,

It seems strange to write a birthday letter when you two are in different places on this planet. I’m pretty certain that in all other years, you’ve been in the same space, sometimes even in the same room. And now, there’s about an hour between you, and had life gone the way we thought it was going to, there’d be fourteen hours!

But life these days is not going how we want it to, and I don’t want to belabor that point—it is, after all, your day to shine—so this year, I’m doing something a little different. I’m not going to say how lovely you both are, inside and out (you are); I’m not going to talk about your kindness and empathy, your support of friends and siblings, your intellect or work ethic (you both have all of that in spades). I’m not going to mention how much I’ll miss you now that you’re really flying the nest (loads, my dears. Loads!). And I’m certainly not going to wax poetic about how lucky I feel to have you two in my life, how happy I am that we have the relationship we have, and how honored I feel when you ask me for advice (those last few really bring out the sappiness in me). No, this year, I’m going for something a little lighter because we could all use a little more levity these days (at least I think so).

That got me thinking, though. This woman, despite being a writer, does not have the same wittiness your father does (Hi! I’m the problem. It’s me.), so where does that leave me? Do I look for funny memes? Old photos? Hilarious tweets (Are they still called tweets? Or are they Xs now?)? Jokes that someone else has written? I sat for a bit on the conundrum, and while I was thinking, some advert for AI drifted by, and I said, “Eureka! That’s it!” (I actually did.)

Artificial intelligence has a bad reputation, and while I’m not its biggest fan, I think there are places for it. Crash detection, fraud detection, security, email filters, all sort of apps. I’m sure I’m using AI even when I don’t realize I’m using it. And that’s okay. It makes my life a little easier. However, I don’t think it should replace people and writing and other creative endeavors, but my eureka moment led me to an AI poem generator wherein I could supply some information and generate some poems.

Poems that concern you! Poems with imagery from when you were little! Poems that feature things you like! Poems that celebrate you, Zoe and Talia!

So that’s what I did for you today. Yes, I’m offering you AI poems about twins and other things as a way to distract from the scary world around us, at least for today. For some of the poems, it’s clear what I listed as the poem topic; for others, it might be a little more difficult to discern.

Poem #1
Candles softly glow,
Wishes whispered in the breeze,
Joy blooms—another year.

Poem #2
In Ann Arbor lived twins, oh so bright,
With laughter that sparkled like light.
In matching attire,
Their spirits would fire,
Two peas in a pod, pure delight!

They danced through the parks hand in hand,
Creating their own secret land.
With giggles and cheer,
They spread joy far and near,
These twins, a remarkable band!

At school, they would always confound,
Their teachers with tricks that astound.
In mischief, they’d thrive,
So lively and alive,
In Ann Arbor, true harmony found!

Poem #3
In the quiet fields,
Bobwhite calls to dawn’s embrace,
Nature’s soft whisper.

Poem #4
Soft heart understands,
Sharing tears, a gentle hand,
Peace blooms in the soul.

Poem #5
In a sunlit room,
they share whispers,
like secrets stitched from the same breath,
identical twin girls,
their laughter a soft melody,
blond strands cascading like sunlit wheat.

Petite, they weave through the world,
two shadows dancing in sync,
footsteps fluttering,
an echo of delicate wings.
Their quietude, a gentle presence,
filling the air with unspoken bonds.

In mirrored reflections,
they find each other’s smiles,
eyes glimmering with stories untold,
twilight’s glow casting halos,
they stand hand in hand,
two halves of a single heart.

Poem #6
A flash of blue, a blur of brown,
darting, dipping, a feathered crown
tilting against the wind’s soft hand.

Chirrup, chirp, a tiny, urgent sound,
a secret whispered, never found
by ears too dull, too far removed.

Sunrise paints them, fiery gold,
then shadows stretch, stories told
in rustling leaves, a hidden nest.

A symphony of wings takes flight,
a swirling dance, a breathtaking sight,
then silence falls, a gentle rest.

Each feather, a tiny work of art,
a miniature universe, a beating heart,
a fragile life, against the sky.

Poem #7
O tiny fluffballs, creatures of delight,
With paws so padded, soft and small and white,
Your whiskered faces, eyes of emerald sheen,
A miniature kingdom, playful and serene.

Your tiny meows, a symphony of sound,
A gentle purr, on softest grass is found,
You stalk the sunbeams, dappled on the floor,
Then tumble, leap, and pounce, and beg for more.

Your clumsy grace, a captivating sight,
A whirlwind motion, filled with pure delight,
You chase the dust motes, dancing in the air,
A tiny lion, with a fearless stare.

Your slumber deep, a picture to behold,
A curled-up crescent, precious as pure gold,
Your breathing soft, a rhythm sweet and low,
A tranquil haven, where sweet dreams softly flow.

From playful antics to a peaceful sleep,
Your tiny lives, a treasure we will keep,
O little kittens, joy beyond compare,
A wondrous blessing, beyond all earthly care.

Poem #8
Tender heart, a spirit bright,
Always shining, pure and light.
Laughing eyes, a gentle soul,
Intelligent, beyond control.
Amazing grace, in all she does.

Poem #9
Zestful spirit, bright and bold,
Outstanding grace, a story told.
Elegant charm, a gentle soul.

Poem #10
Twenty-three, a liminal space, a bridge
Between the reckless abandon of youth’s bold flight,
And the settling, the weight of responsibilities,
A gathering momentum, a rising tide.
The dreams still shimmer, iridescent things,
But practicalities claw, with insistent hands,
Demanding attention, a sobering call.
Ambitions flicker, uncertain flames,
Threatened by winds of doubt, of self-reproach,
Yet fueled by embers of a fierce desire,
A yearning to leave a mark, a whispered name
Upon the tapestry of time’s vast loom.
The heart beats faster, a drum against the ribs,
A constant rhythm, urging onward still,
A cautious optimism, a hesitant leap,
Into the unknown, the vast, uncharted sea
Of what might be, what could be, what will be.
Twenty-three, a year of crossroads, choices made,
A turning point, a chapter’s closing page,
The prelude to a future, yet unseen,
A whispered promise on the morning breeze.

Overall,  I think AI did a pretty decent job with some of these poems (I really like the last one), though if you look closely, you can see similarities in word choice and such. Which I suppose is okay since we’re celebrating the the birthday of identical twins.

I love you bunches, Zoe and Talia, and I hope that this birthday, no matter what’s happening in the world or what weight you’re carrying right now, is one of the absolute best.

Love,
Mom

Image of train and 23 by James Timothy Peters from Pixabay.com.