In “a kiss,” the first thing I noticed was the way the hyperlinks were titled. Whenever I discuss poetry with anyone, it always comes to the question, “What does that mean?” and people hate the answer “whatever you believe it means”. I think that’s what turns people away from poetry in general. The piece has a hyperlink titled, “is this poetry?” and the answer has to do with what I’m talking about. It discussed the indecisiveness of poetry and how that indecisiveness is uncomfortable for people. It mentions how everything in life is very indefinite and, as a result, uncomfortable. If everything was direct and clear, it would lead to quite a boring life. I completely agree with this statement. As writers and artists, we always talk about the importance in stepping out of our comfort zone. This is exactly what we mean. In order to grow and change, we have to try to learn something new, no matter how uncomfortable that may be.

It’s interesting that this topic is brought up in the middle of a piece titled, a kiss. It follows a blossoming love of some sort and I think that feeling of being unsure and uncomfortable can easily be found in this situation. Falling in love IS the same as trying something new. That lack of certainty, stepping into new territory, and even insecurities, all resonate with the example of the artist or writer I provided above.

Going back to the point about what poems mean, the hyperlinks are inviting to those who might stray away from poetry because they answer the questions a reader is likely to ask when reading the provided text. I liked how the hyperlinks broke up the images of the poem provided and kind of answered what they mean. I say kind of because it’s never concrete. It’s more like giving context to the image. I think that by giving context to these images the author provides some clarity but, just enough clarity. It doesn’t make the image or poem concrete and set in stone. It still allows and invites interpretation, which is a hard middle ground to find. All in all, the author did so successfully.

As I started clicking through A Kiss, I read a story that started with a kiss, and a minute later, someone was cooking in the kitchen. Then, I read about backyard gatherings and foster kids splashing in a pool. When I clicked “wrinkles in time”, it brought me back to the beginning. Off to another story, maybe.

The next story was about a girl clumsy enough to injure herself trying to kiss someone, something that I can oddly relate to seeing as I am so clumsy myself that I will walk into any and everything. Even after moving it so I don’t walk into it. I related to this one too much and I loved it!

I enjoyed that this elit wasn’t too long or too short and you could make it as long as you wanted just based on what you clicked. I also enjoyed that it was a very circular reading. How you would always end up back at “the moment of: a kiss”.

I enjoyed The Infinite Woman. As I was watching the words scroll past on the left of the screen, I noticed a wave pattern at the bottom and looked at how it was blocking some of the words. I was able to create this poem:

After all, it is out of shock caused by the lover, believing he is paying too much.
I became frightened by the feeling of their endless tug of war.
I did not know what I had searched for her a great roar of the bedroom.
Their docility is always uniquely situated.
He is the Other.
Not only are her body or degrades her soul.
This embodied dream is, precisely, woman; she pays for her an object.
No man is found at the lie.
Having a body and brain.

As I clicked different phrases that scrolled past, I paused for a second and noticed that the screen was fogging up. So I watched that until it filled the screen. It was calming because it was slow and not random or too centrally focused.

The whole elit project was soothing and very calming. I could sit and watch the screen for a while and see nothing wrong with that. I was able to create two more poems before I broke myself out of the trance of the project.

This story only tries to disavow abstract equality.
It would only be hopeless.
Vague or definite, unfounded or justified, jealousy is really a party.
But a question of women’s work complex.
This is why her conversation is far less well assimilated Nietzscheism.
The curse on the moors.
How, in the month.
Every subject posits itself as Other, defines the figure that the sea and its sound died.

The third one is my favorite of the three that I made.

She thus submits herself to her heart she is doomed is sanctified.
As for other women, that she is denied her; thus her progress is timid and uncertain.
The female is a contradiction with disconcerting consequences.
This is one of the social order they were fighting.
Her life is as real and devouring beast.
The woman who works at living is more tempted to give to him.
I wondered why I am now?
One must keep in mind that art, in its wake.

I really enjoyed these two projects and found them to both be relaxing.

It is really interesting how the projects have lined up. So far, all of the presentations that happen on the same night appear to go together and I would say the same for these.

There is a form of erasure in both, things left unsaid, unheard. The works show this and tackle this in very different ways, but still seem to connect here.

I really enjoyed the way the author interacts with the reader of “A Kiss,” it is not just a story but a conversation which is very interesting and makes it in engaging in a completely different way than we have seen with the other hypertext pieces that have been shared. It adds interaction on a mental level layering that on top of the physical interaction of the piece.

“The Infinite Woman” is extremely intriguing to me on a feministic level and thinking about gender roles and the way women “perform” in society. Adding the fact that all of that is wrapped up into a creation of your own poem and the erasure effect…wow. A lot to unpack and I am really excited to see the conversation that flows from that.

Both pieces are incredibly beautiful in a myriad of ways and in very complex and different ways. I look forward to seeing the presentations and conversations that will be conducted.

Sentimentality is something that comes forth most prominently, I think, when we feel a sense of intense mutuality with another. We are social beings, and crave the idea of being one with another. This is notably represented in the chorus to that one perfect Kate Bush song that a certain nauseating Netflix series has caused a shift in cultural notoriety (here in the states) for, where the perspective that Kathy provides is one of a lover so in love that they desire to swap bodies with their lover, to be as close to them as they possibly can.

Thus simplicities such as specific kinds of mushrooms or glass shapes/widths become strong sensory memories while entwined with another in a romantic situation – whatever the standards of “love-life” one leads. “The shortest distance between two points” as represented within this work of e-lit humorously redirects back to the beginning – “a kiss.” I laugh at this because it caused me to reflect upon first kisses, a moment that usually feels more heightened than most, and one where vulnerability takes control. I always find them joyously awkward. They’re like meeting someone for the first time and giving them a multi-step handshake. 

In the same way that some first-time handshakes can feel a little … physically clunky, kisses seem to be that way too. Of course it is rare to indulge this information to the other half committed to the boundary breaking deed during, but a new glove always takes some getting used to. I could give a pro handshaker the best handshaker my best handshake, but it will likely (note: likely) not feel as natural as the ones I give my closest pals. The same works with the titular subject here, not that I’ve gone to great lengths to kiss my pals, or anything like that, moving on. A new experience is a new experience – simple.

This is not to devalue the heft of such an experience, because it always is. Time always seems to stop regardless (unless it’s really that bad), and perhaps this can just stem from my long-standing strife (strong wording but I’m romanticizing a bit here) with my own hyperactivity, but surroundings become ever so clear. Eyes open, eyes clear, it’s like an exchange of energy – or an exchange of power. How strong that energy or power becomes results from the strength of connection shared, or something abstract like that. 

I really like that all of the little ideas that accompany, I assume, each kiss within this work are accompanied with varying (in length) tangents, be it some description of an item’s functionality, or a fun-factoid about some animal, or whatever. This helps to enhance the every minute is a mile void that accompanies true closeness, where everything else is moving too slow or moving by fast, lost in the central focus that is – the two. 

Perhaps there is a tab that I missed where the tender moments showcased here turn harsh, linger bleak, and tear at the soul, but I think it is pretty favorable towards experience. What I get most from it, and the little Editorial Statement provided prior to engaging with the text, is that we grow greatly in these moments. During, we are almost majestically interweaving our own existence with another person. We come out different than when we go in, and a part of that person is very likely to stick with us, even long after. Over time this scaffolds and builds and builds, I guess depending on the consideration and length that we provide and spend two spend together.

Every week I go through the same process as I decide which blog to read in depth. I begin by reading each author and editorial statements. This week, I knew immediately that I wanted to experience The Infinite Woman Elit piece. What I enjoyed most about this piece was the way the reader could interact with it. The reader was able to create their own poem by selecting certain sentences from the given poem. The best part for me was the ability to turn your poem into a blackout poem by unselect certain words. Blackout poetry is one of my favorite forms of poetry. The one line that stuck out to me was “the myth must not lose her femininity”. I don’t know if it’s a correlation to virginity or not but that’s how I took it. I think in this misogynistic society those two things go hand-in-hand which can be traced back to the bible and Christianity. And as the poem goes on the author gives some push back on those particular conservative views of womanhood. I think every member of the LGBTQ+ community has to go through push back to live their authentic selves. 

I have been part of the LGBTQ+ community for the last 20 years and being able to say that proudly out loud is a gift not every member has been given. I had the honor of marching for love against Prop 8 in California while I was attending the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. I and twenty-five other people held a giant rainbow flag and walked it from the Castro District to city hall. We chanted “we’re here, we’re queer and love is love.” I will never forget that moment and how proud I was to stand up for the rights of everybody in the LGBTQ community.

I noticed every week when I read and interact with a new piece I always say this is my new favorite, but A Kiss…it is definitely a new favorite of mine. I love everything romantic whether it’s a movie, short story or poem. This piece was very easy to navigate through. I loved how I was able to kind of pick where the story went and really enjoyed everything about it.

This piece painted a great picture of what was happening, not only what was happening between the couple but what was happening around them. The poem was also very descriptive. For instance, it shared the color of her lipstick in great detail which gave me an exact picture of the lipstick she was wearing. There was a few times I was longing for more of the story but enjoyed all that it gave. A Kiss was great!