Kinetics and Hyperlinks for Enhanced Poetry

In Ask Me for the Moon (John Zuern, Ask Me for the Moon, 2004), several methods specific to digital literature are used, which enhance the effectiveness of the poem to a degree which would not have been achievable by a typical non-digital, or ‘static’ poem. The use of the digital technologies of kinetic text and hypertextual links allow the poem to achieve a stronger and more nuanced argument than would be possible with traditional, non-digital poetry.

The poem explores the Hawaiian island of Waikiki, and the tension that exists between the seemingly perfect surface world of the tourist experience, and the largely hidden world of the island’s workers who service the tourism economy. Many workers have poor job security, and exist in an exploitative labour market where the jobs they undertake can be ethically questionable. Those who work in the night economy, largely the focus of the poem, may take part in prostitution, hospitality and cleaning work, and are typically underpaid and unappreciated. The hopes of reasonably paid, satisfying employment are a dream for many, and the effects of colonial oppression and capitalist indifference have contributed to a sense of economic and cultural malaise.

Kinetic text uses movement to help illustrate themes from the poem more effectively. Transient text, uncontrolled by the reader, is used in most of the poem, and rhythm is established by its pulsing and fading. This is reminiscent of a real pulse, and the act of breathing, and contributes to a feeling that the island is a living thing. At the end of the poem, the text shrinks into the background, where it becomes a typographical structure. The transient now becomes concrete, and forms the shape of the Waikiki shoreline. Words become the island. Historically, the island has stories to tell, though given the colonial past, some may not want to listen, and some may not be able to remember. Another effect of the transient text is that constant movement means that it can be difficult to take in text quickly enough to consider it properly. There is a sense of being swept along, with an occasional evocative word or phrase lingering in the memory, but after words fade and are no longer readable, one feels they have lost some information, and that some memories are lost. This hints at the island’s cultural stories being lost to the past.

Zuern uses different types of narrative mode within the poem. His own poetry works on a personal and emotive level to engage the reader. Additionally, as references he uses third-person perspectives from several political philosophers who provide critiques against capitalism and exploitation, and show that there are alternatives to the current ways of living and conducting business. Finally, he uses notes of his own, which take the form of a journalistic expose providing researched facts about Waikiki’s culture. Throughout the poem, hyperlinks are employed to provide transitions between these different elements, allowing for intertextual readings and a greater sense of connectedness in the arguments. Zuern’s use of methods specific to digital literature allow for a richer reading experience and enhance the persuasiveness of his argument.