WRITING EKPHRASTIC POETRY
Ekphrastic poetry is a term the Poetry Foundation defines as “a vivid description of a scene or, more commonly, a work of art. Through the imaginative act of narrating and reflecting on the “action” of a painting or sculpture, the poet may amplify and expand its meaning.” There is of course a long history of poets engaging with and writing about visual art, or art outside of their own medium. Keats’ Ode to a Grecian Urn, and Rilke’s Archaic Torso of Apollo are two famous examples, but the mode is alive and well in contemporary poetry, too.
In this four-week class, we’ll read and discuss ekphrastic poems by a wide selection of writers, creating our own definition of ekphrasis, pushing the boundaries of what an ekphrastic poem can be. We’ll engage with several essays by poets to get us asking questions and diving deeper into our craft. We’ll write and workshop our own ekphrastic poetry, drawing from sources both locally, with a visit to the Portland Art Museum, and with work accessed online or in books, thinking about what changes when we draw inspiration from or write about a piece seen in person vs. as facsimile.
You’ll come away from this interactive and generative class with drafts and/or beginnings of four new poems, the opportunity to workshop at least two poems with myself and our fellow students, and, ideally, much fodder for future work.
Access Program
We want our writing classes to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program offers writing class and seminar tuitions at a reduced rate. Most writing classes have at least one access spot available.
Please apply here for access rate tuition. Contact Susan Moore at susan@literary-arts.org if you have questions.
Liaison position
Every in-person class and seminar at Literary Arts has one liaison position. Liaisons perform specific duties for each class meeting. If you are a liaison for a class or seminar, the full amount of your tuition is covered by Literary Arts.
Apply here for the liaison position.
Veronica Martin
Veronica Martin is a writer based in, and originally from, Portland. She received her MFA in poetry from the University of Texas, where she taught creative writing and English. She has also studied journalism, French, and design writing. Her publications include poetry or prose in Fonograf Magazine, Hesperios Journal, Design Week Portland, Tin House, Domino, and Vestoj.
