Ekphrastic Poems

Sequence of activities:

Discussion:

We're going to explore ekphrasis. What is ekphrasis, you ask? Most simply it can be defined as a verbal description of a work of art.

We are going to focus on giving voice to a mute object.

Step one: Choose a picture or art piece in your home that is meaningful to you. If you are unable to find an image, you can use Lori Nelson's "Future Youth." 

Step two: On a piece of paper, brainstorm reasons why the chosen object is meaningful to you.

Questions to consider:

  • What would this image say if it could speak for itself?
  • What story does the image tell?

Step four: Write a poem as if you were the voice to the chosen item. You can draw inspiration from the persona poetry form.

Image shows Nuestra Señora de la Iguanas by Graciela Iturbide

Contributor: 

Objectives: 

Write a poem describing a work of art.

Education Level: 

Elementary

Genre: 

Poetry

Format: 

Writing Prompt

Time Frame: 

Self-paced

Prior Knowledge/Skills: 

None

Required Materials: 

Paper and a writing utensil

Literary model: 

"Future Youth" by Lori Nelson