A Poem Set to Typography

Fireworks night is nearly over
All over the city
I am warm in bed
In the afterglow
You have gone to the bathroom
A late flurry of stars lights up the window
I watch them go out with a bang
They have only just come
Down from heaven

“The Lover’s Tale – Typography” is an animated poem from mamamsonic, http://www.flushleft.co.uk/, that very convincingly translates the words (and letters of the words) of the poem into the “stars” of an aerial fireworks display. Through typography, the words of the poem, above, are enhanced through video presentation:

The overall design is well-done, incorporating many design principles. As a whole, the primary principles of Unity and Variety are used to great effect. The same font is used throughout – Century Gothic – but it is presented in a variety of ways to depict fireworks stars. Just as stars do, depending upon the type of firework effect, the letters making up the words in the poem change size, boldness and color. Sometimes they free-fall like a “waterfall”, other times they slowly tumble in a trail like the Kamuro effect; they shine brightly, then fade; they pulse and overlap in a “bang” (as in the finale).


Supporting the principles of Unity and Variety; the design incorporates Rhythm and Balance. The rhythm of the letters moves the eye along the lines of the poem as the fireworks display unfolds. The display is balanced symmetrically as well as asymmetrically; fireworks shoot up from the left bottom of the screen, from the right bottom of the screen, and from the middle. The letters linger and fall more on one side of the screen than the other at various points in the video.


Another important element of design, Color, is used to great effect. Just as fireworks stars burn bright shades of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and silver against a darkened night sky; the letters of the poem take on varying saturations of turquoise, blue, magenta, pink, orange, yellow and white against a black background.


So, even though the “fireworks display” of the poem is not an exact representation of fireworks, but rather an abstraction; the typography is manipulated so effectively that we know it is a fireworks display, and we can enjoy the poem that much more.