Ekphrastic Poetry

In Today's (very late) Issue

Ekphrastic Poetry
We Danced on the Sand
Trivial Top 10
That's Amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing
Random Joke of the Day
New Release


Ekphrastic poetry explores art. Using a rhetorical device known as ekphrasis, the poet engages with a painting, drawing, sculpture, or other form of visual art. Poetry about music and dance might also be considered a type of ekphrastic writing.

The term ekphrastic (also spelled ecphrastic) originates from a Greek expression for description. The earliest ekphrastic poems were vivid accounts of real or imagined scenes. Through effusive use of details, writers in ancient Greece aspired to transform the visual into the verbal. Later poets moved beyond description to reflect on deeper meanings. Today, the word ekphrastic can refer to any literary response to a non-literary work.

Key Terms

Ekphrastic poetry: Poetry about a work of art
Actual ekphrasis: Writing about an artwork that exists
Notional ekphrasis: Writing about an imagined work of art

I was provided with the below picture and asked to come up with some writing to accompany it....

We Danced on the Sand

We sang as we danced and danced as we sang

Our help tried to shield us as best they could

With batwing brollies.

They tried but were no protection against that wind of change

How beautiful she was crimson dressed.

Our song carried and joined the gale force choir

It cycloned back as all things do.

But it had changed

We all danced now in red stained shoes

A staccato beat by musicians with a different flag

Their chords tight on white hot instruments.

I looked down and saw my shadow on rusted sand

She’s here with me again in that cardinal dress.

Her skin is so white and I can’t hear her song.

I look down and my shadow has gone

The shells are on the beach

The shells are on the beach

TOP 10 1st Wedding Dances 2019

10. Ed Sheeran and Beyonce – Perfect (Duet)

9. Ellie Goulding – How Long Will I Love You

8. Jason Mraz – I Won’t Give Up

7. Ray LaMontagne – You Are The Best Thing

6. Christina Perri – A Thousand Years

5. Elvis Presley – Can’t Help Falling in Love

4. John Legend – All of Me

3. Etta James – At Last

2. Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud

1. Ed Sheeran – Perfect

That's Amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing

Kalamandalam Hemalatha has shown the world why she's known as “the dancing queen of Kerala.” On January 6, Guinness World Records confirmed that she had set a world record for the “longest dance marathon by an individual.” Beginning on September 20, she shook her hips and wiggled her neck for 123 hours and 15 minutes

Random Joke of the Day

Got some insect repellant spray, it says on the can that it may cause hallucinations. Personally I don't believe it but the flies swear it's true.

New Release

Coming in October the third in the 'Tales of..' Trilogy.

It will be available on Kobo, Kindle, Amazon and Barnes Noble.

In the meantime here is a link to my Amazon Author's Page.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neville-Raper/e/B0759Z1D25