Welcome to Day 6 and today, for a joyous idea of what to write about, you have a treat in store: this wonderful artwork by Joshua Squashua:
(Click on the image for a full-size version.
© Joshua Squashua, reproduced with his permission.)
© Joshua Squashua, reproduced with his permission.)
Writing about art is so well established that it even has a Greek name, "ekphrasis". You can respond to the art work any way you like, even simply describing what you see. This one comes with its own built-in ekphrasis, because Joshua Squashua posted it with this quote: "And I saw into the vast soft interior of the universe which was slowly and gently turning itself inside out. I went to sleep, and in my sleep I seemed to hear a sound of singing." – Iris Murdoch, The Sea, The Sea. So you can respond to just the art, or incorporate the quote as well, up to you.
Joshua Squashua is a local Oxford artist and you'll often find him on Cornmarket, with an informal outdoor art gallery up on the hoardings and his trademark bright-as-the-sun grin, or crouched somewhere around town eagerly sketching the buildings and passers-by. His pictures of Oxford are an absolute joy, with vivid colours, curving twisty buildings, and a sense of such love for the place and for art. Check out his wavy Oxford Instagram for more of his wonderful work.
You could do this poem free verse or, for a type of poem to write, I have a couple of serving suggestions for you. Ekphrasis is a wonderful way to play with new techniques and forms, because your content is sorted for you – just describe what's in the pic! It's also fun to pick a technique or form that suits the artist's style. Squashua's work is so energetic and cheerful that this seems a great one to play with repeating sounds: as much assonance (repeated vowel sounds) or alliteration (repeated first consonants, like lightly lick) or both, as possible. If you want a form, it would also suit the whirling energy of of a roundelay: a repeating form that really takes its repetition to the max, with each pair of lines repeating in the next stanza plus a refrain that repeats at the end of every stanza. It's a whirligig of a form and great fun to play with. You can read more about roundelays and a joys-of-spring example here.
The Meddling with Poetry course explores a host of different poetry forms as well as the musicality of language, poetic imagery, and other aspects of the poetic. It's 8 weeks long, one evening a week, and absolute beginners and experienced writers are equally welcome. You can read more details and book a place here.
