ABSTRACT
This chapter studies the literary, visual and digital aesthetics of a body of writing popularly identified as Instapoetry, a form of poetry often published, circulated and read on online platforms like Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr. While Instapoetry has been maligned by several literary critics for lacking craft and intellectual rigour, it has simultaneously been hailed as the modern avatar of poetry in contemporary times. Steering clear of such debates, this chapter shifts its attention to the interaction between the literary, visual and digital aesthetics which produces a distinct form of immersive ambience, perhaps responsible for Instapoetry’s emotional appeal among followers. This affect-inducing aesthetic has the potential to gesture towards the formation of new digital planetary collectives.
