Icon Poet is an unusual piece of software that lets you produce original poetry by clicking on different word categories.

The little gadget on the right demonstrates the basic technique. Click the, then noun, then is. Now click adjective several times. See how it offers replacements? You don't have to settle for the first word it gives you.

The actual program has a lot more categories, but if you have a general sense of what nouns, verbs, and adjectives are, you'll be able to create amusing lines almost immediately. With a bit of practice, you'll find yourself producing brilliant work that you would never have written the conventional way.

For poets and writers

Icon Poet is a great cure for writer's block. Start clicking the mouse, and before you know it a topic has emerged. You can switch between clicking and typing at any time.

It's easy to customize Icon Poet's vocabulary. As you add and delete words, it evolves to reflect your own unique aesthetic.

Since you determine sentence structure and have the final say about what words are included, the resulting lines are unquestionably your own. Different writers tend to produce very different kinds of material.

For schools

Icon Poet is an effective way for students to learn about the parts of speech and the underlying structure of English. They acquire the same skills they'd get through diagramming sentences, but composing with Icon Poet is an active, creative process that many students find hugely entertaining.

For language lovers

Whether you have the soul of an avant-garde poet or just a playful streak, you'll be enchanted by the bizarre turns of phrase you can generate using Icon Poet. If there's a "word person" in your life, the CD-ROM would make an ideal gift.

Icon Poet is creative writing software for Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP, and Vista. If you'd like to take it for a spin, try the free demo.