There are quite a few poems of Billy Collins, former US Poet Laureate, on YouTube that have been animated. I wonder about making these videos to go along with poems. Do you think these images are helpful for your understanding of the poem, or do these images take away your ability to create your own images from these words? Do you like these specific images that were chosen to represent this poem? Is something lost not being able to see where the poet breaks the line?

Below, Billy Collins reads his poem "The Dead" with animation by Juan Delcan.

This is a series of digital media, drawings and photographs in which Luke Wassink deals with the nature of representation in a simple yet profound way. Below Wassink discusses some of the ideas behind this series.

English

Engaging in new listening experiences can be an arduous task for me at times. It is somewhat rare that I become a devoted listener to any artist based on others' introductions or recommendations - timing is everything. Although I trust my friends' tastes and opinions -- as most of them lean toward the same musical aesthetic I do -- it seems there is a frame of mind I must possess in order to absorb music on a personal level, rather than a dutiful one. This is what makes serendipitous moments so great. It is often the only way some get introduced to art or artists one would otherwise not be intent on attempting to engage with.

There have been many musicians who wanted to be poets: there was Jim Morrison and Jewel. There have also been some poets who wanted to be musicians; William Matthews and Joy Harjo come to mind. But the leap between the music world and the poetry world is a large one, despite the similarities in craft. Trust me; I've attempted to write a poem about the song "Gimme Shelter" by the Rolling Stones at least a dozen thousand times. And I still don't have more than 3 full lines to show for it.