Section V: "Shy boy" by Thom Swiss
In "Shy Boy," the author decided to work using Flash to tackle the trope of "kinetic poetry" from a different angle. The effect of movement is no longer a desirable sensation but rather something actually realized through animation and sound. Each verse is granted a specific time frame and animation effect that makes the whole poem appealing to the eye of the web user. In a similar vein, the last verse of every stanza is relatable to the idea of "disappearing" and/or "vanishing", which is completely functional to the meaning the poet is trying to convey, and to the way animations and transitions have been articulated. Each stanza has an irregular structure in terms of versification and the reader can find instances of consonant and assonant rhyme. I would say the background music selected for this literary piece is appropriate.
Broadly speaking, the poem is about a boy who has trouble at school and for a number of reasons he wants to disappear or, put more dramatically, vanish for good. The very first stanza centers on building the feeling of sadness that is central to the theme of the poem. I have the impression that the white background and the letters in black actually serve well to that purpose. The last verse of this stanza ends with the word "melt", which helps build momentum. In this regard, I should put forward that once the reader is finished reading the first part of the poem, the whole stanza comes together for one last time until it all fades away into the white background. I would say that the poem is visually effective when implying the reader in the co-construction of meaning.
All in all, the poem is a good example of what constitutes e-literature. It is hypertextual and playful in terms of animations and transitions, and in more literary terms, a good number of poetic conventions are put in play to achieve an ever-lasting memory effect. I would say that I would love to see some of my favorite poems use this format to become more alive.
