How to Write an Ekphrasis Poem- Kayla Beebout

First, Ekphrasis is a real word, no matter how many times Word says it isn’t.  If you don’t believe me, it’s online.  But anyway, ekphrastic (that's the adjective form) poetry is poetry written based on a work of art, and it’s one of my favorite kinds.  Here’s how to do it:

1.       Think of elements in art that interest you (I usually go for water scenes or some other nature scene, but this can be people, animals, buildings, anything).

2.       Find a work of art centered on that theme that catches your eye—and imagination.  The Internet is a great source for these.

3.       Study the artwork.  How do light and shadow create a mood?  What are the images?  What does this make you think of?

4.       Come up with a story or theme about the artwork.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy; I doubt any of us is Emily Dickenson or T. S. Eliot.

5.       Write a poem based on this story or theme, keeping in mind the tone and imagery in the artwork.  It doesn’t have to rhyme, or have a certain amount of syllables per line (although if you like those rules, go for it).

6.       Don’t stress about the quality of your writing.  Just get your thoughts and feelings on paper and eventually the writing will get easier.

This same process applies to other types of writing, so if you aren’t a poet, feel free to write ekphrastic prose.  However, don’t rule out poetry; I used to hate poetry until I tried ekphrasis, and now I love writing all kinds of poetry!