My goal is to show that the oral tradition has not been replaced by the written tradition; instead, I am arguing that the traditions have a symbiotic relationship that is not only shown in performance poetry and visual poetry but is manifested in digital poetry where visual, oral and written forms coexist simultaneously.  In order to prove my argument, I plan on studying, oral, written and performance poetry from around the world.  I will review oral poems that have been transformed by the written tradition.  I intend to include an examination of cultures where oral poetry is still dominant.   I will also show how performance poetry such as spoken word and slam poetry are hybrids of both the oral and written traditions.   Lastly, I will examine how poetry has been transformed and elevated through digital mediums.