Multi-purpose digital text object. The text was written according to a basic constraint; each paragraph had to be 20-lines long, 60 characters across, with no words hyphenated and carried over to the next line.

To read, the user scrapes away the letters with the mouse (be sure to click on the Flash app to make it active). Individual letter keys create algorithmically defined new texts based on the original 36 paragraphs.

Sub-poems and Games

There are various animations and games that occur if you hit letter keys. For example, if you hit s the program will write a New York School Sonnet. If you hit h you will see an homage to bpNichol’s favorite letter. The letter e writes a poem in the style of Larry Eigner, and j writes what I call a “Japanese Garden” poem that is supposed to be calming.

Other letters, such as c, d, f, i, n, q, and r,  also “write” poems but they are not entirely developed c d f i n q r

The best one is g, which puts you into a playable version of the old arcade game “Breakout.” You use your mouse, naturally, to move the paddle back and forth. New rows are occasionally added.

Visit Kluge: A Meditation.

An alternative version of this piece involves images derived from the writing of H.P. Lovecraft (a major figure in the text) along with some damn kids. Hit d to see the fish and k to see the damn kids. This might take longer to download.

Visit Kluge: A Meditation (with video).