Ekphrastic Poetry In March we will be discussing and showcasing Ekphrastic poetry.  Two of these will be the result of collaborative efforts between Patrick and E. Gordon West, an award-winning watercolor artist from San Antonio, Texas. We will also reference some excellent Examples from past Texas Poets’ Laureate.

What is Ekphrastic Poetry? It can easily be describes as when a poet writes a poem about a piece of art to either describe the work or give an interpretation of what it means to the poet. Conversely, the artist may read a poem and create a work of art that represents the artist’s view or interpretation of the poem.

Examples: John Keats wrote a poem, Ode to a Nightingale, in 1819. Many years later in 1899, W.J. Neatby did an illustration of his interpretation of the poem. This was later published in, A Day with Keats. The book included numerous colored illustrations by May Clarissa Gillington Byron and by W. J. Neatby, London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1913.

W. J. Neatby’s Illustration

Ode on a Grecian Urn, a poem written by John Keats in 1819, published in January 1820, is one of his “great odes of 1819.” It is considered one of the greatest odes in the English language. Today it is one of the poems frequently referred to when discussing

The vase in the poem once belonged to Louis XIV of France as part of the royal collection. The krater, a large ancient Greek vase for mixing water with wine, entered the Louvre in 1797. The Athenian sculptor Sosibios, whose name is carved on the principal side, was doubtless one of the Greek artist active in Rome at the end of the Republic.

Another example of Ekphrastic poetry:

Recently, an award wining watercolor artist from San Antonio, E. Gordon West and I paired paintings and poems for a church presentation.  The success of that project led us to produce a book that will be available soon.  I would write poems for his existing artwork that I liked and he would create new paintings for poems of mine that he liked.

I wrote a poem about a relative of mine who was addicted to rodeos.  Gordon painted his interpretation of my poem.  The poem and resulting artwork follow.

Mean Horses, Bad Bulls, and Sweet Ladies

Arlan was a rounder, or so the people say,
Love of rodeos drove him, he could not refrain.
He never once let his conscience get in the way,
Like so many cowboys he lived in the fast lane.

Got hurt a hundred times but never did complain
Primed to ride, drink, or dance, always ready to play.
To his family’s total regret and pure disdain
Arlan was a rounder, or so the people say.

Working a rodeo, his world in disarray,
He rode broncs and bulls for the monetary gain.
Sitting on their backs he would hardly even sway.
Love of rodeos drove him, he could not refrain.

Nights might find him kicked back with any June or Jane.
They told tales how he would dance the nights away,
Blue eyed gals and alcohol, he could not abstain.
He never once let his conscience get in the way.

He was always caught in some silly useless fray.
Desires he often fought to control and constrain.
But truth be told, he was easy to lead astray.
Like so many cowboys he lived in the fast lane.

Passion for the rodeo proved to be his bane.
To others his weakness was awkward to convey.
His family gave up, having suffered too much pain
Telling all, in a whispering campaign that day,
Arlan was a rounder.

Patrick Lee Marshall
© All rights reserved
2012 May 6th, 20120506-1.1

© 2012 E. Gordon West, All rights reserved

For other examples of watercolor paintings by E. Gordon West

– Denton Texas

Denton Poets’ Assembly, VAST, Denton Public Libraries – Merging Visions

As a member of the Denton Poets’ Assembly I have participated in a program called Merging Visions last year.  The program is in its third year. This is a program where members of VAST, The Visual Arts Society of Texas and The Denton Poets’ Assembly (DPA)  collaborate on art and poetry for an exhibit with the Denton Public Libraries.  This is an entire exhibit devoted to Ekphrastic poetry across the three libraries and results in a book produced annually entitled, Collections.

The exhibit will be held soon and details will be published on my site so please check back in a few days,