I paint myself because I am often alone and I am the subject I know best.
– Frida Kahlo
When
I first saw DaVinci’s Mona Lisa in
the Louvre many years ago, I understood why it’s probably the most famous
portrait in the world. Another famous portrait with which many are familiar is
Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring,
which inspired the 2003 film of the same title. There are, of course, countless
portraits in museums and galleries—faces that look back at us and make us
wonder about their painted subjects. This week, the goal is to write a poem in
which you create a “word portrait” of yourself (the person you know best, as
Frida Kahlo notes in the quote above). Importantly, you will need to be
descriptive, but the extra challenge is to be judicious in your use of
adjectives and details.
1. One
way to begin is to generate a list of words that describe or tell something
about you. In generating this list, think about your personality, interests,
relationships, memories, loves, dislikes, and desires.
2. Now,
imagine looking into a mirror that reveals more than your physical image. What
do you see? Add what you see to your list.
3. Next,
choose three items from your list and begin writing about them. You’ll need to
find connectors and complements for these items, and you’ll need to think hard
about yourself in terms of how the items from your list impact or reflect you
as a whole.
4. Begin writing (a free write first may
be helpful). Review what you’ve written and work the best of it into your poem.
5. Think in terms of metaphors. What
extended metaphor might you use to “word paint” your portrait?
6. Alternatively, create a word portrait of someone you
know. Follow the same general process, and be sure you select someone you know
well. A third possibility (if the first two don’t work for you) would be to
write a poem about a famous portrait (in writing a poem based on a painting,
you’ll be doing an ekphrastic poem—see prompt #79, September 19, 2011).
Examples:
