WoPoLi

Connection Went Almost Away

  1. Connection Went Almost Away

The room saved a copy of my voice 

under a name I did not choose.

The message crossed six bright machines 

and arrived smelling faintly of rain.

Delivery note: some attachments removed for tenderness.

I opened what remained.

Inside was a small command:

chmod +x /body/again

So I stood.

Not healed.

Executable.

Alan Sondheim’s Techniques and Their Application to Poetry

The author described here is Alan Sondheim, whose long-running Internet Text treats the network not merely as a place where poetry is published, but as part of the poem’s language, structure, and performance. Beginning in 1994, Sondheim distributed texts through email lists while exploring cyberspace, embodiment, avatars, philosophy, poetics, and codework. Many pieces arose through communication systems, computer programs, commands, and online interactions.

His work is important because it asks what happens when human language enters the machinery through which it is transmitted. A conventional poem may use a computer as an invisible writing tool. Sondheim makes the computer visible inside the writing. Commands, errors, filenames, usernames, protocols, corrupted characters, and programming syntax become poetic material.

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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.

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