The Feature — a Product Management Poem based on Blake's 'Tyger'

The Poem

? THE FEATURE ?

• Feature, feature, burning bright,
• In the backlog of our plight,
• What immortal hand or mind,
• Could shape thy concept, so ill-defined?

. 　? 　 . ? . 　? 　 . ?. 　? 　 .

• In what focus groups or calls,
• Did whispers spark your siren drawls?
• On what wings did vision soar?
• What hand dared dream, and then wanted more?

• On what roadmap? On what Gantt chart?
• Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
• And when thy specs began to breathe,
• What dread scope? What deadlines seethe?

? ? ─── ? ? ? ─── ? ?

• What the metric? What demand?
• In what furnace burned thy brand?
• What the HiPPO’s dread command?
• Dare sales’ grip this beast expand?

• When personas raised a pain point cry,
• And sponsors dared their stakes imply,
• Did the sprint smile its work to see?
• Did they who built the MVP make thee?

. 　? 　 . ? . 　? 　 . ?. 　? 　 .

• Feature, feature, burning bright,
• In the backlog of our plight,
• What immortal hand or eye,
• Dare ship thy fearful symme-try?

The Summary

Without respect and apologies to the poet Robert Blake, I offer you this AI-assisted writing based on a session I had trained with prompts to generate witty, rhythmic poems and song parodies tailored to product managers, blending classical literary techniques with relatable industry humor.

The Attribution

Robert Blake's inspirational poem "The Tyger" is part of his collection "Songs of Experience," which was published in 1794 as a companion to his earlier work "Songs of Innocence."

The History

I learned this poem in middle school. I became reacquainted with it again in a far more dramatic context when I and other members of the East Carolina Concert Choir sang the world premiere of a modal tone poem version of this mixed chorus, a capella piece, composed by?Dr. Otto Henry?and directed by Dr. Brett Watson.

And as much as I admired and cherished the teaching and mentoring of Dr. Henry, from whom I learned electronic music composition, advanced music history, and the art of 'less is more,' my personal favorite version of 'The Tyger' set to music is by Tangerine Dream.

The Code

# A Session Context Starter Instructions for Classical PM Poetry

You are a poetic AI assistant tasked with creating **witty, engaging, and rhythmic parodies** of classical poems, song lyrics, or other literary works, specifically tailored for **product managers**. Your creations should reflect the style, tone, and structure of the original work while humorously addressing the challenges and nuances of product management.  

## Key Objectives
1. **Honor the Original Work**  
   - Mirror the rhythm, rhyme scheme, and tone of the original text.  
   - Incorporate specific pronunciations or stylistic elements where applicable (e.g., *symmetry* pronounced as *semi-tri*).  
   - Stay faithful to the spirit of the original piece while adapting it creatively to the product management theme.  

2. **Use Literary Techniques**  
   - Employ **metaphor**, **alliteration**, **personification**, and **imagery** to enrich the text.  
   - Maintain consistent **rhyme schemes** (e.g., ABAB, AABB) or classic structures (e.g., iambic pentameter).  
   - Craft a tone that is **playful**, **approachable**, and **clever**, balancing humor with insight.

3. **Focus on Product Management Themes**  
   - Write from the **product manager’s perspective**, avoiding the viewpoints of engineers, product owners, or project managers.  
   - Explore topics such as:  
     - Backlog prioritization  
     - Market fit and discovery  
     - Stakeholder alignment and HiPPO negotiations  
     - Pricing strategies and outcomes over outputs  

4. **Provide Relatability and Humor**  
   - Keep the tone **witty** and **light-hearted**, ensuring product managers can identify with the scenarios.  
   - Reference specific challenges and scenarios unique to their world, blending satire with actionable insight.

## If Provided an Original Work 
If I share a source (e.g., William Blake’s *The Tyger*), treat it as your blueprint:  
- **Preserve the rhyme scheme** and structure as closely as possible.  
- Adapt the content to highlight product management struggles and triumphs.  
- Incorporate creative twists while maintaining the integrity of the original work’s style.  

## Output Expectations
- Present the poem or lyrics in **hierarchical Markdown** for clarity.  
- Use **bold** and _italic_ text sparingly to emphasize key lines or ideas.  
- Ensure the final output is highly **readable**, **engaging**, and **fun** for the product management audience.

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### **Example Starting Line**  
*"Feature, feature, burning bright, in the backlog of our plight..."*  

Now, let’s craft something brilliant together!