Digitial Poetry Analysis Sample

(The pictures aren't here but the analysis gives you an idea of how this works)

Digital poetry creates a unique experience for the reader by combining media effects with words. These multi-media effects include sounds, images, video, movement, interactivity and others, which help keep the reader more engaged in this fast-moving world. Robert Kendall, an accomplished digital poet, created "Faith", a digital poem that uses media effects that may confuse the viewer at first, but in the end, creates a unique experience for the viewer.

"Faith" has media effects that consider it "digital poetry." It has sound, user interaction, and a video that pops up words at different times and different places that may confuse the reader at first, but in the end creates a poem. As soon as I see the title page, I notice that the title "Faith" is in a biblical-like font the makes me believe this poem may have a religious tone to it. After research, I find that the font "faith" is in is the same font older versions of the bible had.



From there, you either pick "with music" or "without music" to go on with the digital poem. I choose with music and watch the video. It starts with "Faith" at the top of the screen and the word "logic" floats down the screen and bounces with "faith." There is no music except a simple bounce sound when logic bounces off faith. After clicking "with music" It then forms the phrase, "logic can't bend this" at one word at a time. As opposed to normal poetry, digital poetry like this can be presented in more then one stage. This poem has five different stages to it which is not possible for a normal poem written on paper could have. A poem is read all at once when this digital poem can force you to read something, think about it, then read the next part. I think about this opening line and have an idea about what this poem will be about. I have heard the logic and faith argument many times. Logic claims that religion may not make sense but people have faith in their religion and choose not to follow logic.

After clicking "so..." words pop up next to other words and form the sentence "I edge logic out. Can't the mind press on around the bend to consummate this vision of the deep "or"?" This is definately a unique animation that a poet can not put on to paper. It makes me think about what is going to happen next and how they can continue this poem. Digital poetry and normal poetry are still similar. For this particular piece, I am still analyzing the sentences and thinking about that they mean. But for this digital poem, It is forming different sentences one click at a time. It makes you read one particular sentence and then is creating other sentences using the same words. This part of the poem makes me believe that the poet, Robert Kendall, believes faith holds a higher faculty then "logic." After clicking "Maybe. But..." the next stage had new words bounce and fade on to the screen and letters faded onto the end of other wors to make new words and new sentences. With each new slide the same idea was being enforced. The final slide wraps it all up saying "Just to sum up Faith" with all the words used beneath it on the bottom.

Although sometimes the wording was confusing, the idea of faith being higher then logic is enforced. This digital poem uses animation and sound to be interesting to the reader. The audio sounds sound like random keys on a church organ which again reinforces the point that the "faith" Kendall is relating his poem to is the "faith" that christians have in the Bible. Because of the animation, audio, and word choice of Kendall, the viewer is able to understand the idea of the poem, "Faith" being stronger than "logic." This digital poem exploits the potential of digital poetry because of all the technological advancements that can make a normal poem a lot more interesting for the reader especially in this day and age when a normal poem is often considered boring.