My initial response to e-poetry based on the pieces assigned so far is one that is highly in favor. I had no idea reading a text through an electronic medium could so drastically change the way I understood it or read it previously. After watching the action-poetry version of “The Best Cigarette” I find I better understand the meaning of the poem, and the reverence Collins holds for what he considers the best cigarette; the cigarette ever-present when he feels most inspired to type is the best kind of cigarette he can have. Through this action poetry, I see what the author imagines as he writes this piece, and how each line connects to the next, how each thought relates to the other within the text. He describes and presents an image of other kinds of cigarettes he has an enjoyed, which occasions are most memorable to him, such as one after dinner or after a good swim. He then goes into detail, however, describing the kind of cigarette he regards the highest, which is one when he feels most pleased with himself, working diligently to express his thoughts and feelings on paper.
Though I find the flash poem, “Nine,” to be a little difficult to read (mainly because I am not good at nine-tile puzzles), I still enjoy what the author has given to readers by creating such an interactive text. Lewis uses the nine-tile puzzle to show readers his interpretation of the lives he presents through the text. I also find it interesting that he uses the number nine, perhaps suggesting humans have nine lives, similar to the notion that cats have nine lives. It fascinates me because as he describes on the main page of the puzzle, we as humans go through life at a dizzying pace, but in retrospect it seems different times and places in our lifetime seem to belong to completely different people, as if we have lived different lives (something I can totally agree with).
To be honest, the interactive version of “The Mermaid” is not my first choice for an e-poetry selection. I really enjoy the text version of the poem, as it is short and concise; it contains a simple plot with a rather sad turning point, and pleases with an ABCBDB rhyme scheme. I personally enjoy mermaid stories, though happy endings can become pretty bland, so one that has a more realistic (though unfortunate) ending is much appreciated.
Thanks for the thoughtful response. The pairing of text and e-poem this week encouraged comparison, but as we go through the semester, remember Hayles' warning that we cannot examine e-literature only or primarily in the same ways we examine traditional poetry. Although the electronic version of "Mermaid" is frustrating, if we think about it differently, that may be the point.
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