Write poems that look hard at public images without reducing them to commentary
This workshop studies how poems can respond to paintings, photographs, monuments, advertisements, films, and other public images without collapsing into summary or explanation. Each week includes a short reading, a brief craft talk, and a generative prompt centered on image, stance, and tonal control, followed by discussion and optional sharing. By the end of the workshop, participants will have drafted a small sequence of poems that engage visual culture with pressure, clarity, and formal intelligence. No preparation is required for the first class beyond bringing something to write with.
In-person class: This workshop will take place at The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St, Bethesda MD.
In this workshop you’ll learn:
- How to build a poem from visual material without merely describing it
- Strategies for writing ekphrastically with tension, distance, and authority
- Ways to use public imagery as structure rather than backdrop
- Techniques for managing tone when writing toward history, violence, or spectacle
- Revision methods that sharpen image, syntax, and line-level pressure
Time Requirements
- 3 hours
Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for poets and hybrid writers who are drawn to art, film, photography, archives, and public culture, and who want to turn visual encounter into serious poetic material. It will suit both emerging and experienced writers who want to deepen their control of image, tone, and composition.
If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.
