I've been enjoying my visit over on ITWS in their 30-30 forum. I have just made it through day seven. It is tough, but I'm writing and that's what I'm doing it for. I have 7 new poems although I would really only consider one of them for any further attention. But it's fun and the gang has a great sense of humour! Writers bounce off each other, themes (self-portraits, encyclopedia entries) and even words (bucket, hands). As well, everyone is roaming the net looking for inspiration - there have been at least three poems with the for eclectica.org words used in them for example - part of the fun is discovering this. I'm not inviting you over, though. With 12 poets already in, doing the daily comments is the biggest challenge.
The Guardian Poetry Workshop this month has an Ekphrasis challenge. "Ekphrasis is defined as the technique by which one artist responds to another, specifically as a verbal response to the visual or plastic arts."
This is very difficult for me - I simply do not respond to visual arts in any way that would be of interest in words. I look at a picture and I think green! I love spring! or I think water! how refreshing!. But I don't find a story in a picture - the story belongs to the painter. And how does one choose a painting anyhow? The one suggested in the workshop has a group of people sitting around in the garden. Nicely painted. Very boring picture - like a bad photo. And when I read an ekphrasis poem, I find it particularly strange. Mostly, it describes the painting. Um. I can see the painting. Why is it being described to me? Much better if I don't see the painting but most ekphractic (is that a word?) poems are accompanied by the picture.
Anyhow, I picked a picture of four boats by VVGogh. Flat sea. Four boats waiting on the shore. Curdled cod's breath sky. Some kind of grey wing floating in the water, washing up against the rock. a yellow mast. yellow grass. That's it. Oh. There are other boats on the horizon. Maybe one of them carries Mary, put to sea by the Romans. The crying woman, hands wrapped in rags still smelling of myrrh.
Jude
The Guardian Poetry Workshop this month has an Ekphrasis challenge. "Ekphrasis is defined as the technique by which one artist responds to another, specifically as a verbal response to the visual or plastic arts."
This is very difficult for me - I simply do not respond to visual arts in any way that would be of interest in words. I look at a picture and I think green! I love spring! or I think water! how refreshing!. But I don't find a story in a picture - the story belongs to the painter. And how does one choose a painting anyhow? The one suggested in the workshop has a group of people sitting around in the garden. Nicely painted. Very boring picture - like a bad photo. And when I read an ekphrasis poem, I find it particularly strange. Mostly, it describes the painting. Um. I can see the painting. Why is it being described to me? Much better if I don't see the painting but most ekphractic (is that a word?) poems are accompanied by the picture.
Anyhow, I picked a picture of four boats by VVGogh. Flat sea. Four boats waiting on the shore. Curdled cod's breath sky. Some kind of grey wing floating in the water, washing up against the rock. a yellow mast. yellow grass. That's it. Oh. There are other boats on the horizon. Maybe one of them carries Mary, put to sea by the Romans. The crying woman, hands wrapped in rags still smelling of myrrh.
Jude
posted by Squamish Writers Group at 10:11 PM
1 Comments:
jude, it seems you are enjoying 30/30. it's nice to have you there.
i think the crowd is wonderful at the moment, buzzing. creative. fun. do stay!
m
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