Inspired by the Artist

By Kenneth A O'Shaughnessy

Art is designed to evoke a response. Sometimes that response is wonder, sometimes envy, sometimes revulsion, and sometimes, more art. Ekphrastic poems are poems written about another kind of art, like film, dance, or painting.

In the poem below, I write ekphrastically about two kinds of art: the art of the drawing artist, and the art of the Creator. 

The drawing below was made by 10 year old Anya. It depicts her naturalist younger brother examining a caterpillar he found.

The poem pays tribute to the artist by using her initials as the acrostic for each verse, and relates her drive to draw to the way she was created by the first Artist.

And if I be lifted up, I will draw

Lines that define a world created

Dividing light from darkness

And the earth was without form

Light made shade and shapes appeared

Darkness directing the eye to light

And God made man in his image

Lifting up a stick figure with his finger

Dust filled with artistic Spirit

And God saw that it was good

Loving what he had made for himself

Despite its imperfections

And if I be lifted up, I will draw

Like the artist who created me

Doing what I was drawn to do

Kenneth A O'Shaughnessy is a freelance writer and poet living in the upstate of South Carolina with his wife and four children. To find his daily poetry entries, log onto: 

http://wordhabitat.blogspot.com/

or find him on Amazon here:

http://www.amazon.com/Kenneth-OShaughnessy/

My First Ekphrastic Poem

Claude Monet 1840-1926

By Laurie Epps

I confess, when I went to Paris to live there in my teen years, I didn't know a lot about art. I loved it though, and something about it resonated with me on a basic and intrinsic level. Almost instinctually, I knew what I liked, and what I didn't like. Often, this response was much different or even opposite of looking at an art book in school.

While in Paris, I fell in love with Claude Monet. I'll never forget the day I saw one of his paintings at the Jeu de Paume in Paris. I stopped in my tracks and was struck with awe. I think I sat in front of one of his famous japanese footbridge and water lily kind of paintings for three-four hours. That really short changed my time for the rest of my visit!

Ekphrastic Poetry

By Laurie Epps

Ekphrastic Poetry is the topic for January 2014. But before we go any further, we must discuss what ekphrastic poetry is. Loosely, the word Ekphrasis means the writer is making a comment about another art form or is making a response to it.

A classic example is John Keats poem, "Ode to a Grecian Urn." I will be writing this style all month, and I welcome you to also send entries for my January 30, 2014 column.