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Ekphrastic

Home
Poetry
Ekphrastic

‘Who Bled’ by Alexander King Ream

The Society
June 17, 2022
Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
5 Comments
. Who Bled When all is said and life be trod, One takeaway the Son of God Made clear, when rising from the dead? The winner here's the Guy who bled. . . Alec Ream is a writer living in the Northern Neck of...

A Poem on Michelangelo’s Dusk and Dawn, Night and Day, by Margaret Coats

The Society
May 12, 2022
Beauty, Ekphrastic, Poetry
28 Comments
. Moments in Marble from Michelangelo’s sculptures; above from left are depicted Dusk, Dawn, Night, and Day Day hustles up, impelled to humanize His world of work by wary energy, To make hours grow,...

‘Apollo’s Lament’ by Brian Yapko

The Society
April 30, 2022
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
31 Comments
. Apollo’s Lament He pounds his naked chest and looks for bones Suspecting that the bay tree is a sham. At last he falls upon his knees and moans “My little doe, my tender dove, my lamb!” He scans the...

‘Uluru / Ayers Rock’ and Other Australia Poetry by James A. Tweedie

The Society
April 24, 2022
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
6 Comments
. Photo of Uluru / Ayers Rock by the Poet Uluru / Ayers Rock The winter outback chill of mid-Julys Cuts to the bone as waning suns conspire To send their sparks through darkening cobalt skies That set the...

A Poem on Criselda Vasquez’s ‘New American Gothic,’ by Bruce Dale Wise

The Society
February 21, 2022
Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
22 Comments
. A Working Man and Wife “…aware of the humanity on the other side of the door.” ---Criselda Vasquez They stand before some distant trees, on pavement, amber, gray,a three-door cargo van, a...

On Three Pre-Raphaelite Paintings, by Peter Hartley

The Society
November 12, 2021
Art, Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
52 Comments
. . The Hireling Shepherd painting by William Holman Hunt This comely wench was Emma Watkins, she Who sat for Hunt in eighteen fifty-two. Too unaffected she, she never knew What lay beyond the brink, beyond...

‘The Mystery of the Amber Room’ by Brian Yapko

The Society
November 4, 2021
Art, Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
21 Comments
. A fabled place adrift in history Which makes the spirit ache for what was lost; A masterpiece destroyed in mystery Then resurrected at a crippling cost; A priceless room of amber! A caprice Of luxe and...

Musings on Dali’s ‘Christ of St. John of the Cross,’ by Peter Hartley

The Society
September 7, 2021
Art, Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
18 Comments
. I This crucifixion hides the anguish. Racked With pain, belied by bloodless hands and feet; Intolerable torments, they compete As muscles in that arching back contract. His hanging head forestalls all eye...

‘Salvator Mundi’ by Sandi Christie

The Society
July 26, 2021
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
14 Comments
. Da Vinci’s lauded “Savior of the World”— Commissioned by the King- Louis of France, * Entombed for years by paint but now unfurled While few respected experts look askance. The work of Leonardo...

‘Saddle Tramp’ by Leland James

The Society
July 18, 2021
Beauty, Ekphrastic, Poetry
5 Comments
. —like his saddle, hat, and spurs No silver on this cowboy’s working saddle; borne bedrolls, stray calves, and dry canteens, carried beside lame mounts home to the stable, baptized in thunderstorms and...

‘Contemplating Aristotle Contemplating a Bust of Homer’ by James A. Tweedie

The Society
June 22, 2021
Art, Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
8 Comments
. Contemplating Aristotle Contemplating a Bust of Homer He stands enwrapped in luminous shadowed light, A woven cord of gold across his chest, Voluminous silk sleeves of purest white Contrast the deep-black...

Poetry on Piero della Francesca’s ‘History of the True Cross,’ by Michael Coy

The Society
January 20, 2021
Art, Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
1 Comment
. The Death of Adam Excerpted from Musings on Piero della Francesca’s “History of the True Cross,” in the Church of San Francesco, Arezzo, Italy There’s always both: the sacred and profane. The right...

Two Poems on Benvenuto Cellini, by Joseph S. Salemi

The Society
January 13, 2021
Art, Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Humor, Poetry
17 Comments
. Benvenuto Cellini’s Salt-Cellar A woman sitting back, just mildly curious To hear a man’s contrived, seductive patter, Waiting to see what fabrications spurious He’s dreamt up now. It doesn’t really...

A Poem on Sir Edward John Poynter’s ‘Faithful unto Death,’ by Peter Hartley

The Society
January 7, 2021
Art, Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
14 Comments
. From Parthenope’s coast each to his post, Beseeching eyes upraised with steady gaze. That night would nature’s cruelty erase A city from the broiling earth and roast The dying with the lying dead....

Winners of the ‘Napa Valley Winery’ Ekphrastic Poetry Contest

The Society
November 15, 2020
Beauty, Ekphrastic, Poetry, Poetry Contests
13 Comments
Thank you to everyone who participated! This was a great effort for a meaningful purpose: the recent burning down of the Chateau Boswell winery in Napa Valley. Congratulations to the winners. Bravo!  ---Evan...

A Poem on ‘Black Lives Matter’ and Others by C.B. Anderson

The Society
November 3, 2020
Alexandroid, Beauty, Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Ekphrastic, Poetry
20 Comments
  Context Is Everything When you attempt to cut some string A hammer doesn’t do a thing— Jackknives matter. When life has gotten back to normal, And dining out means dressing formal, Black...

Ekphrastic Contest: Write a Poem on This Photograph

The Society
October 8, 2020
Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry Contests, The Environment
148 Comments
See the winners here. Above is a recent photograph of Chateau Boswell, a winery, vineyard, and tasting room located in California. It has suffered terribly because of the recent “Glass Fire” in Napa...
Fishing in boat on ocean

‘Upon a Boat, by Ocean Bound’ by Alexander King Ream

The Society
August 17, 2020
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
3 Comments
  Upon a boat, by ocean bound, Below the sun, upon the sound, The bait, a line, a reel, a fish: Bound for butter, herbs and dish.     Alec Ream is a writer living in the Northern...

‘Ilaria Smiles’ by Lawrence Fray

The Society
February 8, 2020
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
18 Comments
  Ilaria Del Carretto was the second wife of Paolo Guinigi of Lucca. Her sepulchre lies in Lucca’s Duomo San Martino and the tall Guinigi tower has a garden in the sky and is crowned with holm oak...

Write a Poem on One of These Images

The Society
January 19, 2020
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry, Poetry Contests
38 Comments
The above photographs were taken and submitted by New York City poet Joe Tessitore. We invite readers to pick one of the images (or both) and write a poem. Post your poem in the comments section...

Write a Poem on One of These Hong Kong Protest Images

The Society
November 12, 2019
Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Ekphrastic, Poetry
14 Comments
  The above images are from the pro-democracy protests going on right now in Hong Kong, as the populace peacefully resists communist-controlled authorities. Today, there are no free elections in Hong...

Write a Poem on One of These Photographs

The Society
November 1, 2019
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Humor, Poetry, Poetry Contests
40 Comments
The above photographs were taken and submitted by New York City poet Joe Tessitore. We invite readers to pick one of the images (or both) and write a poem. Post your poem in the comments section...

Three ‘Imaginary Sonnets’ by Daniel Galef

The Society
June 9, 2019
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
5 Comments
These poems are part of Daniel Galef’s series Imaginary Sonnets. Each sonnet is a verse soliloquy from the perspective of a different historical figure.      Gillette to Frenhofer (spoken by...

Sonnets on the Arts Today, by Peter Hartley

The Society
January 5, 2019
Art, Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
38 Comments
  Poetry Today If elevated thought had ever beenThe least criterion of excellenceIn poetry, why should it then be seenToday as simply of no consequence?If rhyme was good enough for...

‘Ancient Melodies’ and Other Poetry by Bruce Dale Wise

The Society
December 17, 2018
Art, Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
10 Comments
(All poetry by Bruce Dale Wise) Ancient Melodies by Ercules Edibwa No longer are they heard, the ancient melodies of Greece, so beautiful and lovely to the ear. One now can only imagine their mellow...

‘On a Bodegón of Zurbarán’ and Other Poetry by Joseph Charles MacKenzie (with Audio)

The Society
July 19, 2017
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry, Readings
18 Comments
LVII. On a Bodegón of Zurbarán From carbon darkness, splendor! Light comes forth. A painter knew the warm fidelity Of lemons pointing east and west and north, And praised the Thornless Rose’s...

‘What Rumor, What Word?’ and Other Poetry by Neal Dachstadter

The Society
June 23, 2017
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
What Rumor, What Word? On the featured photo above What rumor, what word, O Cloud from the sea? Cumulus, Nimbus: what sayest thou to me? But human and man; the simplest I be, And found ruminating,...

‘Approaching Spring’ and Other Poetry by Neal Dachstadter

The Society
March 26, 2017
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
2 Comments
Approaching Spring Above the mountain, under the sky, Canadian Geese, you hear their cry, Over the mountain, hear them sing, Man and Wife, approaching Spring.   Charge to Orion Gird thy blade...

‘Said the Painter’ and Other Poetry by Neal Dachstadter

The Society
October 31, 2016
Art, Beauty, Ekphrastic, Poetry
8 Comments
  Said the Painter Upon the mossy stones I dwelt, I did, and was, and painting felt An arch and angel bend to speak, Their sainted tones my brush to seek. And why such was, I could not say, But...

‘Unexpiring’ and Other Poetry by Neal Dachstadter

The Society
September 15, 2016
Art, Beauty, Ekphrastic, Poetry
Unexpiring Ekphrastic on the above photo Unexpiring constant Sun, Earth untired responding spun, Surging fire, maternal birth, Urgent sire of vernal mirth. Père Sol, of ruth and blaze, Mère Earth...

‘Metaphysical Mortar’ and Other Poetry by Neal Dachstadter

The Society
March 22, 2016
Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry
4 Comments
Metaphysical Mortar Between the cobalt and the blue Glean gestalt and sum of true All and each be more than six Wall and reach be more than bricks   Photo by A Sclamberg & H...




Trending Poems

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Resources

       Online Teacher’s Poetry Guide

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Poetry Challenges

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