"Shy Boy" by Thomas Swiss

This poignant poem uses music, scheduling, and slight textual animation to tell the story of a shy boy. The arrangement of lines in time and space lead readers to experience the poem cinematically and spatially. Each line— and portion of a line— adds a layer to the “shy boy” it describes, leading the reader into an experience of the work as designed by Swiss. The story’s sadness is enhanced by the scheduling and music as each little portion adds to its tone. Wear headphones for a more emotionally powerful reception of the poem and be patient with its delicate pace to experience it in all its heart wrenching simplicity.

Featured in Cauldron & Net.