And no, the text isn't on a sugar high.

 

 

[Although you may think so after seeing some samples of hypertext poetry.]

 

Our next step into the unknown-I mean e-poetry- is hypertext poetry.

 

Yeah, but really, what is it?

 

 

[BoRinG-Useful] Definition: It is text arranged on the screen in a certain order; it will include hyperlinks to other sites with visual/audio media or other pages that will enrich the meaning of the poem.

 

 

Hypertext is particularly fun. My first experience with hypertext [Millennium Buggery by Ernesto Sarezale) was filled with rainbow colored bars across the screen and completely random links to websites (some that don't exist anymore-a peeve!). I suppose the most exciting event is not a PowerPoint animation of text at 1 AM.

Riding the Meridian explores how hypertext is not only poetry and its effects[oh yes, there is more]. It is also a new medium for prose. But forget about prose. What hypertext has done to poetry is that is interactive; you don't just sit there and read, you have to click first. A writer in this medium is forced to much more selective in what content is displayed, and the reader taken for the ride.

 

But, enough talk: let's click!

 

[click me!]

 

[This will lead you to a hypertext site by Mary Hedger. Where you click on the letter spelling H-Y-P-E-R-T-E-X-T. On the left hand side you will be linked to the poem; on the right hand side you get a small blurb about the poem ]

 

In the next installment: Hypertext Poetry by Mary Hedger [We're going to click into the deep!] and other examples of hypertext poetry.