The art of creating a visual response to a piece of writing is known as a reverse ekphrasis ie the inverse of the centuries old poetic form of ekphrasis.
The most well known example being Charles Demuth 'Figure 5' based upon a W C Williams Poem.(see link in notes above)
EMAGI is a recent (fun) variation of a reverse ekphrasis derived by the advent of the widespread use of hand held digital communication devices -where words in digital symbols /letters can be represented as a shape
and uses a poet's poem to inspire the digitised 'drawing'
Edward Thomas 'HAYMAKING'
\\///
//\\
//\\
//\\
.. ..\\///
...... //\\
.. ... //\\
.......//\\
Arising out of
The primordial poet
The poetry soup
It's not what evolves
As each writer creates on
Tabula rasa
Like a phoenix does
Dancing in the skies above
Using silly words
Like spelling goop in
A bowl of poetry soup
Alpha and beta
And rising out of
The poetry soup, a group
Best quill and inkers
If it is conceived by the mind,
sanctioned by the heart,
it’s not fiction, a measure
of the real in every storied work.
Above me is a shelf-full having outlived
their authors, many their civilizations
along with their gods. There are not fictions!
Instead, transitory dimensions of being --
journeys limited only by one’s dragging
imagination --
I will consign a heaven where poets are
royalty; seated on thrones surrounded by
fawning fans. We autograph their copies as
they wipe our profuse brows, having laboriously
bleed one’s soul into the pages. Wherever
they are future carried and read, we are also there,
spirit cursing through Time’s Lyric Arteries….
The ancient Mariner!
That raging infernal!
Am I not the saga of my parent’s love,
each a manufacture of our God?
There is no fiction after the fact.
And woe to you, critics and editors,
savage murders of my fond text!
________________________
These two pieces captures the soaring arrogance, profound pride, and fiery confidence that characterize some poets’ iconic style. Amrit Ghayal (the first quatrain) was legendary for his fierce, larger-than-life poetic persona, and this specific quatrain perfectly showcases the sheer power he attributed to the poet's pen. The second quatrain, a part of free translation, adds to what he said in the first.
_____________________
For nectar of life fend I can,
Vie with Death’s hands--- defend I can.
My song of life a life-giver,
I pen, make dead stones stand I can.
With fire of ink, life blend I can,
The decrees of Fate bend I can.
Though time erases empires vast,
The history’s lease end I can.
_______________________
Reflections | 25.09.2026| death, life, poet, song, Quatrain
Note: The first quatrain is a free translation of a Gujarati Piece by Amrit Ghayal as under:
Amrit thi hoth aentha kari shakuñ chuñ,
Mrityu na hath palmañ hetha kari shakuñ chuñ.
A mari shayari ae sanjivani che, Ghayal,
Shayar chuñ paliya ne betha kari shakuñ chuñ.
Partners in poetic perambulation
in peregrination’s peaceful imagination
Without prestidigitation
serendipitous poesy will do
Each of us inspiring the others
creating community ~ sisters and brothers
The Last Poets
“When the revolution comes,”
Politicians whispered sweet lies,
promising dreams that were never theirs,
while streets echoed with dreams denied,
and voices drowned in blood-stained hope.
Economies built on the backs of the weak,
wealth for the few, while many stayed silent,
coins of gold pooled, but hearts went cold,
hands reached out but never united.
The Last Poets rhymes like Hymns
echoing in alleys,
fingers snap,
feet tap,
words meet the pulse,
the Congo thump lifts hearts,
raw and real,
hip-hop’s roots grow deep—
But what has changed,
in this swirling maze?
Do we still speak the truth,
shout over sirens,
dream beyond the neon flash,
with wide eyes,
still fighting, still asking,
for justice in our sound,
each voice a note,
every story a song?
With a pending pen, a pensive poet ponders
As he wonders when and where to wedge the next rhyme
To split the rhythm hidden from passerby eyes
Only heard then, by those willing to wander
Daydreaming bare day, with just a hint for misty skies
A hint is but a hint to the tint of a poets eyes
So many wonder why his eyes open amidst his slumbers
When the seemingly soothing rain gently knocks lullabies
Call his name once, you'd think he turned a blind eye
Call his name twice. Do forgive his ventured mind
Bear in mind, like most, he bares the best of tough love
That Mother Nature gives along with swift Father Time
Bare in mind, his mind will write his every struggle
So give him time, peace of mind, a piece of yours shall come
By the boldest boast of thunder post the tundra coast
With his oldest, mostly tattered, tightly tethered poems
Roams the pensive poet - tired - holding on Dear Hope
Such is where the pensive poet's mind would wander most
Humble sunflower
Humble smile
Smile with grace
Smile with pride
Pride is the devil
Pride is power
Power in showing up
Power in not giving up
Up with the dead
Up with the living
Living with revelation
Living with werewolves
Werewolves are sheep
Werewolves are real
Real silver
Real stars
Stars give guidance
Stars give light
Light up the world
Light shines on money
Money for me
Money for you
You have choices
You can love
Love to fight
Love to fly
Fly through time
Fly without wings
Wings translucent
Wings never sleep
Sleep talk
Sleep walk
Walk on fire
Walk on the moon
Moon landing
Moon crash
Crash against the stars
Crash on man
Man made
Man king
King shame
King David
David defeats Goliath
David the artist
Artist struggles
Artist cry
Cry for joy
Cry for pain
Pain
Joy
I notice the things everyone else overlooks
while they are busy trying to grab content.
Hindered by a host of hot button hooks
it’s the details that memorex sentiment.
Phantom scent you will not taste again
keeps coming back until you write it out.
A fierce ache waits to transform your pen.
Trace it behind your eyes with pink neon
so it is crystal clear when the day is done.
Catching the line that was slightly jagged
changed that repro into a masterpiece.
The flash of brilliance my eyes snagged
served only to let the zeitgeist increase.
All five of my senses remain on high alert,
it’s hard to put into words a poet’s intuition.
Fantasy and reality inspire when they flirt.
Something inconsequential as you walk by
is that writer’s high in such short supply.
At the airport
I am stopped by a uniformed man
with strange customs.
Anything to declare?
I have declared everything in my poetry.
How many poems have you, sir?
Oh, about sixty or so.
The legal limit is ten.
You will be charged duty on the rest.
I was charged.
He scribbled a receipt in blank verse.
I got away lightly this time,
he didn’t find the rest.
Thank goodness he did not look
inside my head.
If my heart ever has trouble dancing on beat
Just put your lips on mine
When the poem won't write itself
Gently hold my hand
Because when your lips interlock
With my emotions
Holding the world feels as if I'm holding you
I’d be lying if I said my forevers
Didn’t send you an invitation
In every possibility
You make my imagination
A calm reality
Dreams become passing thoughts
Breathing obsolete
My soul defies gravity
I didn’t fall, I reached for you
Knowing together we're that much closer to heaven
With your love under my wings
Your safety in my arms
This life has no interrupting alarms
Carry this one request
Allow me to crave you
Not to be too forward
But I've been waiting for you
Since I thought I understood sacrifice
Then I began fasting to grasp what I didn't first comprehend
I been fasting
To experience love at its purest form
I’ve been talking to patience
To get familiar with your voice
A voice that makes the echo home
A voice that rocks me to sleep
A voice I long to see
p.s. I just want to be in your presence…
Set sail journey
A getaway like no other
Pulling away from the pier
Nothing but poetry to preserver
Connecting to other Poets
Embracing among the ship passengers
Hearing various Poet works
The Mic being the perk
Ocean breezes that unlock the mind and words
Feeling of assurance interacting the audience
Shore to shore
Island to Island
Spoken words sail
Readings upon readings for passengers to heard
Sharing poetry devotion and creation
Maneuvering through the waves
Acquainting Alph accelerating words
Poet heard to audience listen
Thought after thought
Theory instant
Communicating with other Poets like a family
Cruise ship stops along with the way with the island natives
Poet getaway
Enroute horizon
Big bang
Poetry explosion
Cruising relaxed on the ocean.
Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde
wrote a novel gothic styled
A 'Picture of Dorian Gray'
and a very popular Victorian play*
*Importance of Being Ernest
Our community has become diluted.
Where there was once connection?
The remains are septic and disheveled.
It’s sad to see this behavior in action,
witness emptiness eclipsing synergy.
We all lose when we feed distraction.
Multiple pens feed a seed for artistry,
people show up but remain divided.
I don’t see how this will inspire poetry.
Thank you for the platform provided,
regardless of a mission so misguided.
O, dear poetry, how old are you?
give me a glimpse, The Story of Sinuhe
the art just might predate literacy,
before the birth of the written word, BCE
Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor the eldest fictious
the Epic of Gilgamesh on papyrus
the world’s oldest love poems, verselets
Homer’s ancient epics
Compositions made for spoken word
I finally found out from all I’ve heard
what my dear poetry means to me
the love of artistic lyrical spontaneity
learning of words using them expressively
or impressively, excessively, whatever it takes
with poetic license, there are no mistakes
Works that lead to electric elucidation
with rhythmic flow, meter and alliteration
my primo priority is; my poem pieces make sense,
with rhyme and my love for classic cadence
having the quality of amatory ambiguity,
steered adrift with ominous obscurity
strapping images of suggestive metaphors
I’ll write to inspire as do the troubadours…..
Poets Categories
Read wonderful poets poetry on the following sub-topics:
kids, pen, real, rhyme, write, writers,
and more.
Definition | What is Poets in Poetry?
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.
Related Poetry Forms
artist, author, balladist, bard, dramatist, lyricist, lyrist, metrist, odist, parodist, rhapsodist, sonnetist, writer