Last Time You Cried

Record Your Story

(734) 926-9196

All messages are anonymized

This phone number is connected to an automated voice recognition program. As our computer system struggles to understand your story, it will build a poem based on what it hears and what it knows. Find a deeper appreciation for the uniquely human act of crying and connect with others as you see and hear our collection of computer poems at our installations and here on the web.

Hear an example

1) Anonymized phone call

2) Resulting computer poem

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What could a computer know about crying?

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My mom sent me flowers for graduation and made me cry 'cause I'm silly like that. It was terribly sweet of her. And they are lovely flowers. Even lovelier now than they were in this photo - they've really opened up in the past day or two.

- from bookgrl @ Flickr

We’ve all experienced a “good cry”—whether following a breakup or just after a really stressful day, shedding some tears can often make us feel better and help us put things in perspective.

- from ScienceDaily

I was all right for a while, I could smile for a while But I saw you last night you held my hand so tight As you stopped to say hello Oh, you wished me well, you couldn't tell That I've been crying over you, crying over you And you said, so long Left me standing all alone Alone and crying, crying, crying, crying...

- from xsdior @ YouTube

Because I am insane, and I cry almost every day. Well, some people probably think I’m insane, anyway. I was talking with a friend last night, telling him what made me cry on Thursday and he said…, gosh you’re cute. Huh? And he said, well, you’re just so passionate and full of emotion. A lot of people try to hide that, and pretend that nothing can phase them.

- from kathleen

Nick made me cry with his words. The three of us don't know Argentina without each other, and I can't help but feel a sense of guilt as we leave Nick behind.

- from Julia

Visit the exhibition

NOW! to April 8, 2010

Art & Architecture Building, 2nd Floor, University of Michigan

Opening reception: March 31, 5-6:30pm

When Was The Last Time You Cried?

Record Your Story

Hear an example

What could a computer know about crying?

Visit the exhibition