9 Original Poems Featured In Videogames

Not all game designers are into poetry. Not all poets are into videogames. But the overlap is probably more present than you might think: after all, both occupations generally seem to attract different variations of the same basic type of person, someone heavily involved in their own work with a very particular taste for things most people may find obscure and uninteresting. It’s little wonder that we see so many instances of famous poems being specifically mentioned in games, from Ashley Williams’ love of Tennyson in Mass Effect to the use of an Alan Seeger poem in the trailer for Gears of War 2.
When a game creates its own poetry, however, it’s another matter entirely. Sometimes it’s a simple attempt to convey a clue or plot point to the player, but in many cases it exists solely to flesh out the game’s universe (or maybe give us a cheap laugh). Now, being a self-proclaimed frustrated former English major, I know some of you may not find this as interesting as I do, but I feel it’s worth it to take a look at those moments when videogames try to take part in one of humanity’s oldest artistic traditions. Yes, verily, it’s an easily traced line that runs from Virgil to Keats to Mass Effect 2. Don’t believe me? You shouldn’t. But read on anyway!

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