After I'd spent months writing the content of the 'Big Red Book', I realised that there was no consistent series of links to help people get around. Even worse, the links which do exist aren't labelled. So, I've decided to write this page which will hopefully overcome problems. Of course it does require people to read the information!

In defence of myself, I'd like to point to something of the nature and fascination of the internet. This, in turn, relies on the intrepid explorer, 'Surfer Joe Public'.

People love to look around, to examine the things in their environment and, when they're ready to follow their rampant imaginations, they like to leap randomly to somewhere which offers a fresh fascination. If this weren't the case, if everybody enjoyed serial logic, they'd all be sat down engrossed in some kind of serial medium which required them to jump minimally from one paragraph to another. They'd be content to submit themselves to the tyranny predetermined by the writer let's say by curling up with a book or non-interactive TV programme.

I like to think that I'm taking a serious risk, providing the opportunity for people to escape and to follow their fantasies and fascinations. I also feel that people enter into a reading contract with differing motivations. Some are driven to follow the writer's logic. They want to enter into her or his world and discover the things which have captivated them in the same order. Personally, I find this a little voyeuristic... stalkerish. Therefore, in defence of intellectual freedom and personal pluralism I advocate that people read the poems by dipping into the ones which sound interesting after reading the contents page.

Over time, these poems will develop links to related pages which will be outside this site. This is as it should be. Internet books shouldn't act to constrict people's imaginations. There beauty should be enhanced by the extent that they liberate.

If an individual decides to remain with a piece of writing, it should be because of personal choice and interest not because they are held prisoner by the writer controlling their actions. Some, favouring a closer link between the writer's personal responsibility and the magnetism of their writing possibly would argue against me.

The law in England and many other countries recognises the dangers which exist in unrestricted freedoms. Where writers publish, without censorship, works which are defamatory, are likely to corrupt or incite harmful actions. Even where writers facilitate avenues of escape from the unpleasant, they can't escape some of the blame for their creations. However, those who act as the market for these creations are perhaps demonstrating by their consumption a need for the products existence.

Does pornography exist for the pornographer or the reader? If the reader's need was being left unsatisfied would it be content to remain so. I believe that it would act to fan her or his frustrations and desires find some other avenue for release pending pornography's invention. However, I leave that debate to the autonomous imagination of the reader. For now, my concern is the navigation around and through the 'Big Red Book of Hypertext Poetry' :- For consistency, you could say that all pictures lead somewhere and underlined words lead to pages which are particularly relevant. Initially, the picture links may be difficult to follow but I've tried to place pop up labels on these to help with choice. Over time, with your help, these may improve in terms of their relevance to the material they are associated with.

My intention is to have a responsive site which will incorporate any links which you and others drawn to the poetic candle. However this is all down to you. Equally, if you object to links you find which are completely irrelevant, please, please, suggest changes. The randomness and banality of the links will only exist as long as I find no pressure for change. I am, however, a weak and responsive individual. If you push, I'll adapt. Your pressure will both provide me with feedback and, also, opportunities for others to examine their personal interests in greater depth. Also, if I don't have to spend time researching links, I'll be able to spend time doing things like writing!

The site is littered with opportunities to e-mail me. It also cries out to offer routes to subjects as diverse as alienation and zebras. I can only cry for help so I'm crying... The mark of our joint efforts will be the deepening of the hypertextual components you'll find.

0h yes the puzzle, which has probably been echoing through your head anyway, "What does that annoying phrase mean? The one contained in the symbol on the bottom right of this page but never explained? If you click back to the contents page, you might find the route to the answer. If not, a little bit of investigative research never did anyone any harm and there are clues everywhere!

Thank you in anticipation of your continuing Involvement. Have fun...

Stefan Lewis-Fish (30th March 2000)