Poetry generator

Continuing off the previous post, here's a nonsense (or poetry) generator. Takes a filename as an argument, optional second argument for the number of letters back to remember. Obviously this would need substantial work to be useful, but I was quite personally entertained by the return on minimal investment. Uncommenting the alphabet line leads to a different style.


#!/usr/bin/env python

import collections
import random
import sys

filename = sys.argv[1]
know = len(sys.argv) > 2 and int(sys.argv[2]) or 3
num = 1000
alphabet = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz \n"

expected = collections.defaultdict(lambda: collections.defaultdict(int))

text = open(filename)
previous = ""
for line in text:
for letter in line:
# if letter not in alphabet: continue
expected[previous][letter] += 1
previous = (previous + letter)[-know:]
text.close()

def weighted_select(weights):
all = sum(weights.values())
index = random.randrange(all)
for letter, weight in weights.iteritems():
index -= weight
if index <= 0: return letter
print "Unexpected", index, weights
return letter

start = random.choice(expected.keys())
thoughts = [letter for letter in start]
for unused in xrange(num):
last = "".join(thoughts[-know:])
thoughts.append(weighted_select(expected[last]))
print "".join(thoughts)


Example:

./textual.py sample_text 4
writing deeper
it is a fail of you


my timid anxious queries bereft a perhaps it is only have unbeknow amazing has and i are


aimless arms

 
i done side in three
this curious that my lither mary
has anythin is as for me other mocking thought gain three
that still bring i remember
beform
that further being i remains me i are myself in that of timid anxious queries back trail may you is only as reality is made of hearts leaping in her
and want
but as that we happy returning is not word or recallinger serves ive unbeknow how unliking that furthere beauty a simply by its sublimitation has and bring i remains meager servation unrequited you are sunderstanding me to do known
if i find real as real as unto you most days for their bound
accept a perhaps it is under cling me shadows yet unhappier by
far word or soul to real as unto accurate too much discarded a bring lithe one you


what imprehend
my coverabundant lies back trail their ground
and their like apartake u

If anyone with the free time is clever enough to strip crappy poetry from online to use as a generator for this, I'd love to see the results.