Why poetry videos?

Poetry mimics the emotional outburst. Or maybe it mimics any kind of outburst. At its best, poetry has always found its resonance in imagery and the rhythm of language. By combining poetry and video, Rail Switch encourages artists to collaborate, and hopefully to showcase the beauty and power of emotion in new ways, as a result both of the harmony between poetic and visual images and of the collision between perspectives. The goal of this publication is to build on the potential of poetry and of video by creating a platform for serious art that can be created by anyone, with the potential to help people recall their experiences, to activate their creativity and to engage with problems from a safe space. And with increased awareness, to identify unfamiliar choices, shake up the flow of everyday life and provide opportunities to engage in new ways with one’s emotional life, as well as the greater world. The goal of this journal is not to make poetry more accessible. This site will be a collection that fits a particular sensibility: maybe idiosyncratic, or maybe not. But hopefully it will be a showcase for work that is fun, moving, and thought provoking.