Guest Post: The Search for Ekphrastic Inspiration by Tiffany Herron
Ekphrastic poetry is poetry inspired by art. Learn how to write it from guest post by Tiffany Herron.
For National Poetry Month, this month’s writing advice is all about poetry. Since I am primarily a fiction and creative nonfiction writer, I’ve brought in poet Tiffany Herron to talk about ekphrastic poetry.
The Search for Ekphrastic Inspiration by Tiffany Herron
Ekphrastic poetry is poetry inspired by a piece of artwork. Ex- from the Greek word meaning “out of” and Phrasis meaning “expression, speech.” As a painting or statue is still or motionless, ekphrastic poetry hopes to add movement by using words.
Poems inspired by art may ask what the artist was thinking when they were composing their piece, or they may describe in detail what is taking place. Ekphrastic poetry could also refer to what is missing or not visible from the scene or image. For instance, if the poem is about a painting of a house, the poet might write about the house’s inhabitants. While a poem can be written about any piece of art, I expect that poets respond to work that evokes specific emotions or ideas while viewing them.
Some examples of ekphrastic poems are:
“The Tyger” by William Blake
“Archaic Torso of Apollo” by Rainer Maria Rilke
“The Disquieting Muses” by Sylvia Plath
How to Approach Ekphrastic Poetry
For the ekphrastic poem, there are no strict rules like a sonnet, villanelle, or haiku. And truly, you can write an ekphrastic poem about any piece of art, whether it inspires you or not, though I find it more fulfilling to write about what moves me.
Here are some approaches to writing ekphrastic poetry:
Add to or take apart the image.
Create a story or backstory for the image.
Concentrate on the situation of the artist, a biographical approach focusing on what may have been happening as the picture, image, or statue was being made.
Depict a lesson or philosophize on the image.
Emulate the structure in the movement of words on your page.
Use the image or part of the image to contemplate something entirely different.
Write about what the image says to you.
Read more: The Equation of Prose Poetry by Tiffany Herron
My Approach During the 4 Bridges Art Festival
During the annual 4 Bridges Art Festival in Chattanooga, Tennessee, artists of various mediums from photography, printmaking, ceramics, jewelry, and fiber, display their creations to be judged and purchased.
This past weekend, as I made an initial trek around the festival, I glanced through each stall. The quick first lap let me see a wide view of the art and it allowed me to release my excited festival jitters. I made my way back around, slower this time, stopping and absorbing the artwork that attracted me the most, what pieces of work drew my attention, and spoke to me.
Of 146 artists, I spent most of my time with seven. Two mixed media, two photography, two printmaking and drawing, and one ceramic artist. Some artwork attracted me just because it was pretty. There were decorative pieces where colors and shapes kept my eyes fixated and filled me with a silent joy. No obvious words came to my mind while looking at these pieces, just the splendor and awe of the beauty. Much of the art from the seven artists appealed to me on this level, but only pieces from two artists inspired the beginnings of a poem.
I discovered the artworks which stimulated words were those I also wanted to have a conversation about. They were the pieces I wanted to discuss with the artist about their technique and inspiration. The art that moved me felt as if they were telling or wanted to tell a story.
Read more: How to Determine the Theme vs. Topic of a Story
An Ekphrastic Poem
Artist: Metka Krašovec
“Leaving the Muse” by Tiffany Herron
I stand in diluted misery
Departing through and without a sound
Passing the spines of kelp islands
Postulating as enormous sea dragons
I am jaded with the tranquil
And tortured by adventure
My spirit twists forward
Yet my constitution pursues sanctuary
The wind will be my companion and nemesis
And my engine towards the uncluttered ocean
I will pioneer through misty mornings
Navigating in a lucid eclipse
Upon mortally level horizons
And through copulating squalls
The sacrifice of my desire
Unanchored from any continent
Satisfying the oxygen within my blood
I will leave the muse behind
Art for Inspiration
Here is some art from the festival. Do they inspire any poetry in you?
Artist: Kate Morgan
Artist: Elizabeth Stephenson
Tiffany Herron is an emerging writer and recent graduate of the MA English Creative Writing program at the
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
She has published in Catalpa Magazine, the Samoa News, the program for Lemonade the Lecture, and in Clemson University’s literary magazine Chronicle.
She is currently assisting an award winning producer, John Beder, with a historical documentary, and working on a lyrical memoir following her journey of discovering her Pacific Island roots. Find her at tjherron.com.
If you have questions or comments, I’d love to hear them. Send me a message or find me on social media.
