The Maier Museum of Art Journal of Ekphrastic Poetry
The creation of original poetry and prose in response to works of visual art, known as Ekphrastic writing, is a writing exercise originating in ancient Greece. Schoolboys were assigned composition exercises in which they were challenged to describe painting and architecture in vivid detail. Familiar examples are poems such as John Keats’ “Ode on a Grecian Urn” (1819) or W. H. Auden’s “Musée des Beaux Arts” (1938). Ekphrastic writing has enjoyed a revival among contemporary authors in recent decades.
The Maier Museum of Art’s first Ekphrastic poetry publication came in 2005 with Image/Word: A Book of Poems. This compilation of verse was written by community members of all ages in response to artworks in the collection. In 2009, Image/Word was followed by Water Lines, a book of original poems inspired by the 2008 exhibition Water Marks: Selections from the Permanent Collection. Water Lines includes poems from area elementary, middle, and high school students; Randolph College students; and adult writers active in Central Virginia. In 2010, poet Keith Ratzlaff taught a class on Ekphrastic poetry as guest instructor for Randolph College’s Visiting Writers Program. At that point, the Maier established an Ekphrastic poetry webpage, now the Maier Museum of Art Journal of Ekphrastic Poetry.
Submissions are accepted year-round. Please submit your poetry by the end of day on May 31, 2024, to be read with the most recent group of submissions.
Published Poems
2010 – Present
2021
Parlous Waters
by R. A. Allen
Seventh Sister
by R. A. Allen
At the café
by Jennifer Hernandez
2020
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darkness doesn’t winby Gwynneth Green |
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Much Morningby Rikki Santer |
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Winslow Homer’s Paris Courtyardby Joseph Stanton |
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John Frederick Kensett’s On the Connecticut Shoreby Joseph Stanton |
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Lady with a Dogby Akshaya Pawaskar |
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Untitled (after Mrs. Scott’s House)by Martin Willitts, Jr. |
2019
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In My Dreams I Am Wholeby Steve Wilson |
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The Giftby Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad |
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To Understandby Luigi Coppola |
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New Wintersby Luigi Coppola |
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Mixerby Luigi Coppola |
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The Eyes of Cowsby Luigi Coppola |
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Animalsby Luigi Coppola |
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Scaradhby Tyler Thier |
2018
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Vipassanaby Steve Wilson |
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After the Demise of the Swine’s Sisterby Mary Ellen Talley |
2017
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On the Brinkby Dianne Borsenik |
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3 AM Meditationby Steve Wilson |
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Lake Scene With Figuresby Lee Evans |
2016
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The Beauty of the Villageby Steve Wilson |
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Of Aprilby Steve Wilson |
2015
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Prudence Pausesby Warren Meredith Harris |
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Dying Wordsby Kevin C Chadwick |
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Breaking Up of the Duncanby Kevin C Chadwick |
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Pinionby Kevin C Chadwick |
2014
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A Poem for Irving Amen’s ‘Girl with Flowers’by Terry Bodine |
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Considering Restby Terry Bodine |
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Suspensionby Andrew L. Smiley |
2013
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The vibrancy of redby Lisa Alexander Baron |
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How To Forget The Horizon At Sea Is Even Thereby Jessica M. Brophy |
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Haunted Houseby featured poet Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda |
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The Deserted Beachby Guy Terrell |
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Cape Codby Kristine Ong Muslim |
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Mary Scott Swann, 1816by Joan Mazza |
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One of Twenty-Eight Views of the Moonby Vivian Teter |
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Yoshitoshi | Yoshiiku | Mishima Asagiri | Kunisada | Soshu Tonegawaby Chris Doss |
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Missing My Motherby LuAnn Keener-Mikenas |
2011
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NIGHTJARby dl mattila |
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third grade, 1957by Sara Taylor ’12 |
2010
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Landscape with Girl and Flowersby featured poet Keith Ratzlaff |
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Woodcockby Marnie Crowell ’60 |
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Wrenby Marnie Crowell ’60 |
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Cow #1by Karl Speer ’12 |