Ekphrastic poems.

Ekphrastic poetry is nothing new. The Greeks and, later, the Romans built some of the basic classics with Ekphrasis in mind. It is, in a tiny but accurate nutshell, poetry about other works of art. It is a synthesis of one existing work with inspiration and creation of a new work. It blends talents and, often, gives a fresh view of how art can be perceived. John Keats "Ode on a Grecian Urn" is one of the most well-known Ekphrastic poems. Read it.

There are many Ekphrastic poems, almost every poet has written at least one. This poem is mine. It is in response to Edward Hopper's Office at Night 1940. I Recommend reading the poem then looking at the painting. Hopper is well known for his colors, the mysterious nature of his subjects, and the reality of his situations. Look at more of his paintings, or any work of art really, and see what starts bouncing in your head. Then write it down.

Carla and Kolchek

It is dark out, past suppertime, and Carla cannot remember

where she left her cherry lipstick.

She wore her blue-grey dress for her now missed date

with the man who would not become her husband.

They should have left four hours ago but

Mr. Kolchek was behind again. Failing

in an almost professional way that seemed natural

like a blessed ignorance of what was expected of him.

He chose this carpet of grass for just these occasions.

Carla knew that. She knew that Mr. Kolchek kept her

late for not so gentlemanly reasons. She knew he would not act

first so she steadily brightened her lips

to, maybe, force his hand. He dreamed of laying her down

in the field between their desks and kissing away that horrid

color from her thoughtful lips. He would never do this

it was not in him to do things well. Mr. Kolchek could feel Carla

thinking and it took all of his control to not stand up and yell

“Let’s get the hell out of here. We can go drink and dance.

We can eat at Minny’s or Salvatore’s and fall home together.”

Never. He would just continue to look busy and Carla

would get the work done. This is why they could not find one another

they needed the other to be crushed under tiny hopes,

sliced within but still enclosed like a ruptured artery

within a show quality heart.

This would go on until they retired to opposite coasts

or died or found anyone they could fool into marriage.

Carla’s lipstick was in Mr. Kolchek’s left breast pocket.