Beyond lines, beyond stanzas: Studying unconventional text structure in American poetry

The article explores how text functions as a poetic medium. It argues that unconventional text structure possesses significant potential to inform meaning, evoke emotions, and affect the aesthetic experience of reading poetry. By analyzing works by E. E. Cummings, William Carlos Williams, Mary Ellen Solt, and Anthony Cody, the article puts forward the following hypotheses about typographical arrangement in experimental poetry: typography allows the poet to translate the speaker’s experience; typography influences the reading process to reflect the emotional character of the poem; text structure multiplies the modes of communication used in the poem to convey meaning; text structure is used to present complex issues with an economical use of language and draw the reader’s attention.