The Child and Flowers!

Q1: Is the poem the same in these 3 versions?

A: I don't think it is. A large part of poetry is the way that it is presented and read. Line breaks, word flow, punctuation, even where the words appear on a page can change how a poem impacts a reader. These versions each have distinct differences. The way the HTML is presented does not have the same line breaks as the page image, leaving it with a sense of being disjointed. The TEI is so unappealing to the eye and difficult to decipher that it completely destroys the atmosphere of the poem itself. While the actual words of the poem are the same between all 3 versions, they are not the same.

Q2: What difference will digitizing make to our understanding of poems?

A: It will definitely make an impact. Whereas prose can translate fairly easily to the digital medium, poetry is a much more difficult endeavour. It is in many ways dependent upon its presentation. Reading poetry is not simply word choice. So unless the poetry can be digitized in a way that keeps the true presentation intact (I liked the page image best) than I fear that we will lose a basic part of what the poem was intended to convey. There is also the physical aspect of reading something on a screen and being able to hold it in your hand. I can read for hours out of a book where I can only read for short spans on a computer (This may be because I have contacts and they dry out but nonetheless).