The Poetry of Art

What is Ekphrastic Poetry

Ekphrastic Poetry, is to keep it simple, writing poetry inspired by a picture, it could be any picture, a photograph, a classic painting or even a drawing by one of your children.

Some Ekphrastic poetry can go into great detail and describe every part of the picture or image, some can focus on one aspect of an image and some types of the poetry use the image as a basis to tell a completely different story that only relates a little to the image.

Poetry like art is diverse and there are really no rules of which style of poetry to use, it can be anything from Haiku to a limerick or even an epic poem.

For those who know me though, I always try to find humor in any given situation and hopefully you will find some of that in my first experiment on Ekphrastic Poetry.

Take a little peek into my imagination as I try to describe my view of some of the most recognizable works of art in the world.

Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci, is recognized around the world and is the inspiration for my first poem.

Mona Lisa Smile

She sits in the window, a strange look on her face.

A beautiful lady in a beautiful place

Is she happy or sad is that the hint of a smile?

I think its a smirk that she's had all this while,

Because our Mona Lisa has a secret to share

She has hidden the TV remote under that chair.

Frantically searching like the police with a warrant

Leonardo is cursing his words are abhorrent

He has looked everywhere upturned all the stones

Now he's missing his favorite show, Game of Thrones.

Mona Lisa relents with and leans under the chair

She retrieves the remote with a flick of her hair.

"Leonardo" she says as her smile spreads much wider

" You can have this back now if you pay me you miser.

"For weeks I have sat here letting you paint my face,

you promised to pay me at the minimum rate,

Now cough up my money you miserable git

Or i'll smash this remote on your head with one hit.

"Be Calm now dear Mona, I paid you today,

I transferred it into your account through an app called quick pay.

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Now go to your bank and take out your money

and pass the remote please my glob of sweet honey"

Away Mona goes with a skip in her step

Off to the bank her money to get.

As Leo sits down and turns on his show

His enigmatic smile begins to grow.

"Poor Mona" he sighs "she hasn't a clue,

That's three times she's fell for my in her bank ruse,

But one day I will pay her all that is hers

But have to sell some pictures first".

The Scream

The Scream

The Scream by Edvard Munch, is one of the most Iconic and disturbing paintings in the world. I thought I would try Haiku style for this one.

Walking along the promenade

Suddenly my fears come true

I Forgot my Cellphone ARRRGH!

Monarch of the Glen

The Monarch of the Glen

The Monarch of the Glen by Edwin Henry Landseer, this beautiful iconic painting is the pride of Scotland.

For this painting I will try a limerick.

The old monarch is not moving so briskly

He's not looking so good or so frisky

Himself is to blame

For the hangover came

After drinking that single malt whisky.

American Gothic

American Gothic

American Gothic is a classic painting that the world fell in love with By Grant Wood an American artist.

Now this poem is different because the picture actually reminded me of something a little more recent than when it was painted in 1932, the poem is really nothing to do with the painting except a vague resemblance to something else.

They retired to life on the farm

Where they really could come to no harm

No more Hogwarts, no Owls, no more battles foretold.

When Ginny and Harry got old.

Thank you

I hope that you liked my little experiment, I just wanted to give it a try