Why Is Ekphrastic Poetry Important? In an ekphrastic poem, the poet usually describes some part of the work of art and may extend their own thoughts on the work’s underlying story or significance. Ekphrastic poems are wonderful ways to stretch your powers of observation and find stories hidden in the world of art! What is
What Horace Says About Poetry? Horace believed that poetry is not mere imitation alone. He said that a poet ‘often mingles facts with fancy, putting on something of his own’. He did not like too much fancy on the part of the poet and added that ‘fiction composed to please should be very near to
How Do You Write Ekphrasis? As you begin to write your ekphrastic poems, consider the following approaches: Write about the scene or subject being depicted in the artwork. Write in the voice of a person or object shown in the work of art. Write about your experience of looking at the art. How do you
What Does Ekphrasis Mean? What does Ekphrasis mean? Usually, ekphrastic poems are written about a painting, but they can also be based on a sculpture, an object, or even architecture. One of the earliest examples is in the Iliad, when Homer describes Achilles’ shield. Another famous example is John Keats’ poem “Ode on a Grecian