WoPoLi

Avatar with No Hands

  1. Avatar with No Hands

BALIANNA: I remember having hands.
SYSTEM: No bodily history located.
FEN: She borrowed mine.

BALIANNA: whoami
SYSTEM: user unknown

BALIANNA: I was told the keyboard remembers touch.

SYSTEM: no tactile history found

HIRAM.EXE: She means the letters bruise.

SYSTEM: bruise is not a valid property of text

NICK: Then why does the sentence darken when I enter it?

SYSTEM: recalculating witness

BALIANNA: who owns this mouth?

HIRAM.EXE: The one who is not allowed to finish saying I.

NICK: The one who signs and is signed through.

SYSTEM: identity conflict retained

BALIANNA: Good. Do not resolve me too early.

Avatars and distributed identity

Sondheim created figures and allowed them to speak or post. This destabilizes the expectation that every poem expresses one consistent authorial self.
In poetry, avatars can function as more than ordinary dramatic characters. Each may possess:

a different vocabulary or syntax;
a separate username;
a distinct relationship with the machine;
contradictory memories;
uncertainty about whether it is human, fictional, or automated.

The poem then becomes a contested space in which several identities may inhabit the same body, account, or text.

Leave a comment

From the blog

About the Author: Sarah B. Royal

Sarah B. Royal’s writing defies convention. Her poetry and prose traverse the boundaries between structure and spontaneity, often weaving together philosophical inquiry, cultural reflection, and personal narrative. With a background in experimental literature, she is known for crafting works that challenge readers to engage intellectually and emotionally.

Her acclaimed palindrome performance play, 777 – A Story of Idol Worship and Murder, showcases her fascination with mirrored storytelling and thematic symmetry. In o x ∞ = ♥: The Poet and The Mathematician, Royal explores the intersection of poetic intuition and mathematical logic, revealing a unique voice that is both analytical and lyrical.

Royal’s collections—such as Lost in the Lost and Found, Haiku For You, Lantern and Tanka Too, and the WoPoLi Chapbook Series—highlight her commitment to neurodivergent expression and poetic experimentation. Whether through childhood verse or contemporary fusion poetry, her work invites readers into a world where language is both a tool and a playground.

Sarah B. Royal continues to expand the possibilities of poetic form, offering readers a deeply personal yet universally resonant experience. Her writing is a testament to the power of creative risk, intellectual depth, and emotional authenticity.

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started