Today we have reached 150 open links, and it’s a true privilege to be here with you. So many have passed these doors, and stopped at the bar, chatting a little, and today it might be the first time. For me this is virtual home where I can share ideas on the magic of what we can do with words.
I thought about pictures and poetry. Many of you are talented artists and it feels natural to combine your poetry with images, I do not paint myself but I always include an illustration. When I selected my format for my blog I happened to select one where I have to have an image for each entry. It can be quite cumbersome. I have to find an image to illustrate something that I have written. But sometimes I start with an image and write my poetry based on that. Often I end up browsing on wikiart where I usually can find a piece of art that fit my poem, but there are times when finding a picture takes more time than writing a poem.At other times it just works immediately.
Today I went through the virtual gallery and found a picture that inspired a poem. How do you do? Are pictures important for your poetry or do you see them as something that distract from the words. Do you have a favorite artist?
Today you can link up any poem with or without pictures, but I am still interested.
- Enter a link directly to your poem and your name by clicking Mr Linky below
- There you will find links to other poets, and more will join during the next 33 hours
- Read and comment on other poet’s work, we all go here to have our poems read
- Promote your site and poetry you like on social media of your choice
- Have fun
dVerse 
Welcome friends.. hope you have something great to share 🙂
“How tall does the Sycamore grow;
if you cut it down you will never Know.”
– Colors of the Wind
Pocahontas
I think I have an inkling.. today’s open link
That’s a clue.. smiles..;)
150 – wow – that is something…
rgd. your question… it may sound odd but i add only occasionally an image to the poem cause usually i want the poem to speak for itself and paint an image in the reader’s head – this says a painter – it’s kinda odd i know… smiles
I see your point.. I have regretted many times choosing the theme I did 🙂 but on the other hand it has sent me roaming in the virtual galleries for different thing many times.
I agree and have been thinking along those lines lately myself.
I always like when you add a painting, Claudia. Your paintings add atmosphere to your poems – or rather they complement each other and both contribute to the atmosphere.
I always add a photo – usually one of mine – to my poems. I like illustrations in general and I know I have no copyright issue with my own work.
I have noticed you often do not add a picture, Claudia. And I know what you mean about having a poem speak for itself. It really SHOULD, I guess. Smiles. But I do always enjoy when you add a photo of one of your paintings. They HELP the poems speak for themselves, I think.
My poetry and prose comes from my life and the world around me and the appropriate photos just pop into my head.
Ah.. yes sometimes that happens too.. sometimes I just see the photo that is not taken yet.
I like having pictures in my post and sometimes my poem is inspired by my picture ~ Like you, I spend time searching for the “best” picture to go with my poems ~ At times when I have nothing to write about, I use a picture or photography as a starting point or a theme ~
Joining you for OLN (YAY for #150) as I have been away for a bit ~ Happy Tuesday to everyone ~
It can take a lot of time searching for the right image.
Great minds, & all that implies, Bjorn. Several hours ago I stopped by your site & left this comment–The poem, fun, fetching, clever, seems to be the perfect take on the Edward Munck painting; not a poem you found an image to head it. Is that the case? Did you use the painting as Muse, your own prompt? Cool lines, nice fantasy piece.
Now, either I read your mind, your poetry being the truth of self-evidence, or for a cosmic blink we shared the same mind; so cool. Unless the prompt is an image, I always wait until the poem is written before I go out in search of the perfect image to illustrate it. A word list can be a terrific prompt too, as discussed today on your blog. Perhaps one week on MTB, we could use a word-list; probably that kind of poetic has a “form” name too.
Grace wrote to a word-list.. boute-rime.. that we did a while ago… and you always find fun pictures with your poem…
150 – that is indeed a lovely round number – and quite an achievement! How nice it is to see familiar faces, then faces that go away for a while and then return, and new faces of course, all shy and hesitant, not sure of their reception, like I was once upon a time about 2 years ago. What a difference these Open Link Nights have made to my poetry, finally allowing me to share it with others!
I do like pictures with poems – Claudia’s watercolours come to mind, they are perfect illustrations of the spirit of her poetry. I do try to include pictures most of the time, but mine are just boring old photos rather than art.
Photos can be perfect.. but somehow that art contains an idea.. that’s so much more.
…and photography can be an art form as well 🙂
The big 1-5-0!!!! Hooray! I like to use images and often will spend a lot of time searching for the right one for my posting. But the other day, I thought back to how I read poetry from books with no.illustrations. I had to use my imagination. I think sometimes we may get a little lazy with our imagery or, our imagination. And, too many images in a long post is a drain on time of the reader and often, computers process slowly and a post that should have been interesting, becomes cumbersome and annoying. I re-read dRules the other day and saw where there was just such a statement about trying not to use too many pictures, graphs, etc. because of the processing.
I am rarely inspired by an image unless it is in nature. Music will always set a tone for me. And then we have Claudia’s wonderful paintings and the many beautiful photographs people take and use. Poems without words. I keep going back to thinking of Claudia’s layers. It was a prompt that has helped me write or rewrite or in reading and commenting. thank you Claudia!!!!
I think you are right.. as a poet you should be able to express it just in words..paint your image right there… I have another blog where I just write poetry,,, and I find that often just the words are enough…
Indeed they are. I found it so with you poem on OLN 150.
So very true that most of the poems we have read in our lives we read without illustrations; and we HAD to form our own pictures in our minds. Often we had to read the poems again and again, trying to figure out what the WORDS were saying, did not have a picture to help us out! Ha, I remember struggling with the likes of Walt Whitman, etc. No photos to assist in my interpretations.
But I think really in the blogosphere it is more a social thing than a scholarly thing perhaps….and I, for one, DO enjoy people’s choices of photos or paintings. ONE photo or ONE painting, that means. Not tons of graphics, but just ONE. To me the painting choice or the photo choice helps me get to know a bit more about the poet, as it works with the poem.
I agree with you about excessive images. They really make it difficult to even FIND the poem sometimes among all of them & interfere with my ability to enjoy the poem when/if I find it among the images. And, yes, we do have that rule…but…sigh.
I sometimes use multiple images but put them into a slideshow. If one wants to scroll down and ignore, that is a good option and in the slideshow, it doesn’t make the poem so danged hard to find – doesn’t distract. I realized a couple of years back I was getting lazy in my imagination so I hauled out a bunch of books I enjoyed as a child so I could go back to that “inside my head” experience and then reading Whitman again to see about visualization…to exercise my muscles, so to speak. Because of being so into photography for years, it is easy for me to be visual and envisioning. I think sometimes, my imagination can be too vivid and I have, lol, scared myself sometimes. 🙂
Cheers for hosting Bjorn.
I love scouring Wiki for images, occasionally becoming frustrated when it takes for ever. Today’s image came via a daily email from Wiki and I knew, just knew I had to complete the poem I had begun for Patti’s Tuesday prompt, for the image was just right.
Some of the images that come through Wiki are amazing and prompt thoughts and words follow.
A big thank you Patti for your inspiration.
Anna :o]
I love when there is this perfect match.. when the picture is just perfect for a poem just written..
Like you, Bjorn I do like to add an image to a posted poem, but frequently the image comes first. The one I have linked fits with that.
I think finding an image to start with makes a different kind of poem than if you add it afterwards.
I will reply to wonderful previous comments, promise. There are great prompts here, even open night has that nice gentle nudge. Anyway, still doing the rounds – and oh yes, I had fun…
Ah. nice to have you here Managua.. hope you link up with a blog where we can comment 🙂
The picture is an afterthought. I generally pic something that is not quite what I write about, or something completely different. Just to be that way, I guess.
I always admire your choice of picture.. there is a tension in having that picture that is something different…
Often I think of a word that goes with the poem, then a synonym of that word — then put it in creative commons to see what it comes up with. So there is a little method to the madness.
I always enjoy your use of pictures as well. Sometimes after I have read your poem, I will go back and think…hmmm, I wonder what that picture is saying about that poem! You often keep me guessing, but then again sometimes I almost think I have figured it out. Smiles!
I love art and looking at paintings. But , alas, I’ve never been any good at drawing poetry inspiration from art.
Ah.. Could one do limericks from art maybe?
Bjorn, I’m not very good and including pictures with my poetry and it is not usually pictures that inspire my poetry. But just for you I added a picture of the handwritten poem that I posted and linked today to my post. 🙂 I have a conference call in five minutes, but I’ll be back later to check out all the great Open Link Night posts. Peace, Linda
I think pictures can also distract from the words..so sometimes I think I use pictures too much as well… But today I started with the picture actually.
Looking forward to checking your out.
Hi Bjorn, thanks for being our host today! I agree with you, that finding a complimentary image can take more work than writing a poem–but usually that’s how I do it. It’s wonderful, however, when I stumble on an image that just grabs me–and demands I write to it. Those are especially good writing days. See you later.
I agree.. and sometimes I just go to wikiart and grab an image.. I find Edvard Munch and Odilon Redon particularly inspiring.
Thanks for the tip, as I’ve never used wikiart!
Will be back to read later!
Running hard today, but had to take time to participate in this.
A bit of information: I live in New Albany, MS, the birthplace of William Faulkner. Every year there is a William Faulkner Literary Competition, and this year there is a poetry category, for the first time. Info can be found on line. Don’t bother to enter- I’m going to win it. : ) Now I have to rush off again, traveling. I’ll try to stop back by and read some.
It’s been a while… nice to have you back at the bar..I promise not to enter the competition…. 🙂
I need to go to bed… self-serving is OK.. there is plenty of beer and soda… and I left a bottle of wine for you to enjoy. Goodnight.
I’ll be doing solo shots. Thanks for leaving the bottle.
Goodnight and see you tomorrow Bjorn ~
Because I write to nature so much, and both my husband and I like photography, I enjoy seeing them come together, no matter which comes first.
It boggles my mind how many OLN’s we have had, and how many other poems have “happened” because of all the other prompts dVerse has offered–so many which never would have come about. Each of us who have been a part of the pub owe much to all those who have worked to make it happen–whether in the past, or under the dedication of the new team. Thanks so much, all of you.
Haven’t written mine yet..I’m still playing with Patti’s MTB prompt that I did in haste and without much satisfaction.
And your photography is lovely Victoria ~ Happy to see you joining us for OLN # 150, smiles ~
Victoria, I am with you in this. I really enjoy seeing personal photos and poetry come together WHEN it happens. You do well with this kind of writing, and I always enjoy what you share with image and words so well written together!
Happy 150th.
Go big or go home, right?
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I’ve never tried wikiart, so thanks for the introduction, Bjorn. Looks like it has a lot of interesting stuff 🙂
It’s like a virtual gallery.. Quite inspiring
#150 that is quite an accomplishment. I will have to look into wikiart as I haven’t heard of it until now. I am looking forward to reading a bit tonight. I usually find a picture afterwards.
That’s what I do mostly as well.
good morning… full day today… so will be back to read and comment in the evening…
We will go and celebrate a young girl finishing high-school today,
NIce. We had graduation a few weeks ago. Quite the accomplishment.
And a great reason to party 🙂
already read a few and hope to visit you all dear friends, after i come back from work…
Ah.. thank you for coming in Sumana
Full marks to all those who have played a part setting up dverse and maintaining it and for the seamless handover to a ‘new crew.’ It really is the best of its ilk to my mind.
Thank you Ross… it is a wonderful set of people coming here.
It’s Ros, Bjorn but all good. Many people get it mixed up because of the surname. 🙂
Ha.. I just came from reading your prompt so now I just realized that 🙂
Wow, 150 OLN at the pub…quite a milestone worth celebrating! Thanks to our host and cheers to ALL poets here, past & present !! I like to pair poems and photos, not sure which comes first more often…but today will share a poem i wrote paired with da Vinci’s great portrait, as Bjorn included in his introduction 🙂
Lynn thanks for the visit. I am on the road and the comment settings won’t work on my phone. Catch you when I get home tonight
Wow. Gabriella wasnt kidding when she said that OLN was full of those more concerned with their own work than reading others.
I’ve read my fill and then some. If anyone wants a comment more than the general kiss-assery of “wonderful verse”, “you are so amazing” or such, drop by – I will gladly return a visit.
My favorite is ‘lovely’ when the poem is sad or hopefully thought-provoking but has nothing ‘lovely’ about it.
Haha. I have received a few of those, in my day.
Or “this is beautiful” when it was about a car wreck.
Puts the “O” in obvious(ly did not read)
Ha.. Since I never write anything sweet, I have made it a little difficult…
Ha, but I am sure there have been a few. Smiles.
Hey Bjorn! 150 more on the way plus even more than that… smiles. Pictures as of lately have been a distraction actually… more about letting the words be the picture.
I definitely see the point in that… at one point I might go all words.
Oh, I hope you don’t, Bjorn! I really enjoy your use of artwork to compliment your poetry.
Having been out of town for a number of days, I have come a bit late to this most interesting discussion. I have gone back through it and commented on different things though.
I do like adding an image to my poetry. I think it adds a bit of interest, whether it is a photo I have taken or a wiki image or a wiki art image. I agree with many who have said often it takes quite a while to choose the right image. If I cannot find something that goes exceptionally well with a poem, I may choose a kind of neutral photo of my own to use….just for the fun of it!
I like seeing what others do with images. After a while it seems we each develop our own style of using them. Perhaps we each begin to become a bit predictable in our image usage? Maybe once in a while we should shake it up a bit and use an image which is unlike our usual? Smiles.
Anyway, cool that this is the 150th Open Link. How time does fly. On to another 150…….
There are still 6 – 7 hours until the link expires. Who knows, I may even have time to write a poem yet! Thanks, Bjorn, for hosting.