Topic/Subject- Sensory Emphasis: The Prevalence of the Senses in Poetry

Questions-
How does the presentation of the poem affect the content?
Does the prevalence of a visual support or detract from the poem?
How does an auditory emphasis on certain words alter the response from the reader?
How does a certain poem stand without a sensory emphasis?

What I find to be particularly curious about contemporary poetry is how the audience’s senses can become a part of the poetic process. In spoken word and slam poetry the prevalence of the performance and presence of the author becomes a large part of the content. However, what happens when you consider the works without the performance? Poetry tied in with aesthetics also takes on the debate of sensory support. In general, how does a poem that is presented in a certain manner stand alone on its own?

Potential sources:
Andrea Gibson’s and Saul William's performances
Frank O’Hara’s “In Memory of My Feelings”
Richard Brautigan's Poetry Recordings