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Base XP: 45
Base XP: 45
The Nightmare" by Henry Fuseli
Do poets always intend the symbolism that's present in their poetry?
For one author's opinion go to: Andrew Gray - Unconscious Influences on Writing
So far, we've talked about "brush stroke" and "image" in poems, which highlights the similarities between visual art and poetry.
To the left is a painting that seems strange enough to come out of a dream.
Dreams are a great way to start thinking about symbols. There are dictionaries of dream-symbols and a whole tradition of interpreting dreams based on conventional second meanings of things.
What symbols are present in this painting?
Why do you think that the painter included these images?
A powerful image can stand for a lot of words.
Our subconscious often thinks in images, so dreams are a rich source of images for poetry. In this activity, you'll draw on imagery from your own subconscious.
Instructions
In poetic form, describe a dream that you've had, paying special attention to imagery in the dream. You may use any written form of poetry you like, and any devices that you find useful. The important thing is to describe the imagery - those pictures you see in your mind's eye - as well as you can. Revisit the information on imagery in an earlier quest to remind yourself of the ways it is conveyed in poetry.
The following is a list of just some of the poems from The New Canon that contain strong visual imagery. Read these over if you are looking for some inspiration for painting specific pictures with poetry.
"Wooden Alphabet" by Mark Abley
"Slough" by Bruce Taylor
"September in Uplands Park" by Eric Miller
"Brickwork" by David O'Meara
"Red Pepper" and "Green Pepper" by Sue Sinclair
This activity will serve as the basis for, and a draft version of, the poem that will be included in a later quest.
Reflect and respond on "The Nightmare", and include this with your poetic description of a dream you've had.
Submit these pieces to the dropbox here. Remember to explain if/why you require additional XP.
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