Animating words: visualizing William Blake’s “A Poison Tree” through the visual and textual elements of kinetic poetry

Haneen Ayman, Mahinour Adel, Mary Magdy, Rasha Adel

Abstract


This study applies the visual elements of kinetic poetry to William Blake's poem A Poison Tree. Kinetic poetry, characterized by the seamless integration of visual and verbal elements, transcends traditional static forms, integrating various visual elements to convey meaning in a new form and evoke heightened emotional responses. In light of this, the study underlines how the static poem A Poison Tree can be transformed into a kinetic visualization, utilizing the poem’s interpretation in order to integrate various visual and temporal dimensions via a software application that creates a video content of the poem. The study thus provides a rationale behind the selection of a number of visual elements that illustrate Blake’s poem, deciphering the role of movement, colors, fonts, and shape in conveying mood, tone, and thematic nuances. It attempts to unveil the intricate interplay between textual and visual elements, highlighting the ways by which kinetic poetry heightens the reader's interpretive experience. By foregrounding the intersection of technology, design, and literature, the study underlines the innovative approaches taken by contemporary poets in leveraging kinetic elements for expressive storytelling.

Keywords: kinetic poetry, digitization, performative language, software application, text as image, interpretation, experimental cinema

 

Received: 16 May 2025

Accepted: 26 July 2025

Published: 02 September 2025


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References


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DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21622/ILCC.2025.05.2.1350

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Copyright (c) 2025 Haneen Ayman, Mahinour Adel, Mary Magdy, Rasha Adel

Insights into Language, Culture and Communication

E-ISSN: 2812-491X

P-ISSN: 2812-4901

 

Published by:

Academy Publishing Center (APC)

Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT)

Alexandria, Egypt

ilcc@aast.edu