Did you know that the human brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than it processes text?

Memories of an Outdoor Café

           

            When I saw the little café in Copenhagen, I knew I had to photograph it. Quickly, before the image could disappear from my mind’s eye, I aimed my Leica at the scene and captured it. The lighting was perfect.

             “Another shot of a storefront?” remarked my longtime partner and co-author Elizabeth Guy. “You must have a million of them in your files. Don’t you think you’ve photographed enough of them?”

            “Maybe,” I  responded. ‘But you never know. Someone might be able to use this photo some day.”

            Six years later, while we were developing a major project for a publisher of educational materials, Elizabeth walked into my office and handed me a sheet of paper with a poem and a photo printed on it. I hadn’t read the poem before that moment, but I did recognize the photo I’d taken several years earlier.

An Outdoor Café in Europe

I met him at an outdoor café

In Europe.

Copenhagen, I think.

We talked until the sun—

A scarlet wafer in the sky—

Disappeared.

That’s when he kissed me.

His breath was sweet:

Honey floating in the air.

When morning came,

I reached for him

In our little room

Above the café.

But, like the sun,

He’d disappeared.

Gone like the lovely night—

A misted memory.

Disappeared at morning rise—

Another shattered dream.

Ah, well, I sighed

And stretched

And thought:

Long distance relationships

Almost never work out.

                    --Elizabeth Guy

            “That’s a nice little poem,” I said.  “I like the ending. By the way, who was your lover with the sweet breath?”

            Elizabeth smiled. “There was no lover. Don’t be such a wise guy.”

            “By the way,” I continued,  “Isn’t that one of the photos I took while we were in Copenhagen? The one you complained about? The same one about which you said, ‘Don’t you think you’ve photographed enough storefronts?’”  Truth to tell, I was beginning to enjoy what I thought would be my moment of triumph.

            Elizabeth didn’t miss a beat. “That’s not what I said,” she responded. “That’s your interpretation. The fact is, what I really said was: ‘I’m glad you took that photo. I’m sure that some day it’ll provide inspiration for someone to write a poem or other work.’ I just didn’t know it would be me.” She placed her hands on her hips and smiled.

            Knowing that it would be futile to contradict her, I grinned at my partner and offered up the ancient incantation behind which men always hide when they know they’ve been outmaneuvered once again.  “Yes, dear. Of course you’re right,” I declared.

Coming Next Week and Every Week Thereafter

     Don't miss our upcoming series of evocative photos and accompanying prompts that are sure to inspire writing both in and out of the classroom.

____________________________________

        Reflect and Write contains more than 300 poems and photos; keywords; quotations; either “Inspiration” or “Challenge” prompts; a “Themes to Explore” section; a “Twelve Ways to Inspire Your Students” section; a special “Internet Resources” section, and more. This collection will help stimulate discussion that will trigger meaningful writing at many levels.  Includes CD with photos and poems from the book. 

        Reflect and Write: 300 Poems and Photos to Inspire Writing by Hank Kellner and Elizabeth Guy ISBN 978-1-61821-023-4, Prufrock Press, 2013, 153 pages, $24.95. See More and order at http://www.prufrock.com/Reflect-and-Write-P1752.aspx.

Another Helpful Source for Inspiration  

          Write What You See: 99 Photos to Inspire Writing is a collection of photographs and writing prompts designed to inspire writing. In addition to the many photos and ideas it presents, this collection includes a section that cites “Ten Ways to Use Reflect and Write” as well as a second section titled “How Some Teachers Use Photos to Inspire Writing” An added bonus is a CD with photos and writing prompts.

      Write What You See: 99 Photos to Inspire Writing by Hank Kellner, Prufrock Press, 2009, ISBN 978-1-877673-83-2, 118 pages, includes CD, $24.95 See more and order at http://www.prufrock.com/Write-What-You-See-P791.aspx

      

      I'm delighted to offer a guest blog by Vivienne Neale, the director of The Writing Retreat and a prolific writer and author. Having earned a Masters degree in Creative Writing,  Neale is well qualified to conduct creative writing tutorials via Skype, as well as actual writing retreats from her base in Portugal.  You can book a tutorial or retreat by emailing info@writingretreatportugal.com.You can also catch up with Neale's blog at www.writingretreatportugal.com. Her poem "Black Saturday" graphically depicts the carnage inflicted on Great Britain during the opening days of World War II.

     

The Writing Retreat Steps Back in Time

     I had always been fascinated by World War II as a kid. It was not surprising really as there were so many people around me who had direct experience of it. My father was in the navy and I guess he always encouraged me to read as much as I could about that dreadful period.

    The reading I did as an adolescent has haunted me. Poems like "No More Hiroshimas" by James Kirkup, for example, have remained in my mind and if you don’t know the work it is well worth tracking down.

      I started using this conflict in my poetry when I was a teenager and often return to it. The video footage now on YouTube is fascinating but it was a visit to The Museum of London that was the starting point for the poem I share today.

     The Museum is set in Docklands and there are all kinds of exhibits outlining the tremendous damage that happened in the East End of London during the 1940s. I was mesmerized by the interviews of Londoners who had survived the appalling bombing raids that used to happen night after night all along the banks of the Thames. The Luftwaffe was determined to knock out the docks which was Britain’s lifeline in so many ways to the rest of the world.

     Such suffering and death are a million miles away from the environment I inhabit at the writing retreat in Portugal but I just couldn’t forget about what I had seen back in London and it was inevitable I should write this poem.

     I wanted to write something in memoriam. The names of the docks are part of the geography, the sociology, the history and the identity of everyone who lived there and somehow I wanted to bring the experience of that time back to life. I concentrated on the sounds and smells of the docks with its variety of goods all housed in massive warehouses and the desperate scenes firemen found as they arrived to tackle the intense blazes. Imagine dealing with all different types of fires but always very dangerous and volatile.

We owe much to all those who lost their lives and who showed incredible bravery. I just hope I have done them proud.

Black Saturday

Observers had mistaken a 20 mile formation of bombers over the East End Docks, for Allied planes.

In September 1940, the empire’s treasure struck back;

cracked pepper singed the air, fire fighters choked

as spices roasted, igniting in spumes of gritty smoke;

liquid fire poured under warehouse doors, elsewhere

barrels shot white firework flames skywards. Crackling

drowned the hissing hoses and yells of men burning;

the Thames soaked up explosions as timber yards, transit

sheds, rubber, jam and pickle factories took direct hits.

The Isle of Dogs was caramelised; West India Docks roasted

in oils; Millwall’s middle sector, lined by global shipping,

buckled, into a scrap metal flotilla. McDougall’s flour silos,

now exposed, pointed the way for yet more bombing. Black

smog, thick and toxic, spelled: ‘We’ve lost it!’; traitor’s talk.

Night fell but skies were alight, glowing daybreak pink, sunset

red. St Paul’s’ iconic silhouette fragile, as Silvertown, Woolwich

Arsenal, St Katherine’s Dock and Beckton Gasworks, copped it.

Coming Soon

        Be on the lookout for my upcoming Creative Concepts series! Each week I'll publish a different photo accompanied by keywords, direct quotations, suggested first lines, challenges, and many more prompts designed to inspire writing. 

       If  you're a teacher, a student, an established author, or an aspiring writer, you'll find that these photos and prompts will help to stimulate many creative ideas for writing. 

      Of course, you'll be able to download any of the Creative Concepts photos for your personal use, for use in the classroom, or for use at writing seminars. 

More Photos and Creative Prompts

        For more photos and creative prompts that won't be  included in this blog, please visit http://www.prufrock.com/Reflect-and-Write-P1752.aspx. Reflect and Write contains more than 300 poems and photos; keywords; quotations; either “Inspiration” or “Challenge” prompts; a “Themes to Explore” section; a “Twelve Ways to Inspire Your Students” section; a special “Internet Resources” section, and more. Includes CD with photos and poems from the book. Reflect and Write: 300 Poems and Photos to Inspire Writing by Hank Kellner and Elizabeth Guy (Prufrock Press, 2013), 153 pages, $24.95.

 

             A Tsunami of Images

              Thanks to the digital revolution, visual images are everywhere. No matter where  we are, we can't escape from them.  For those who recognize the potential these images have for inspiring writing, the rewards are great.  Show a group of people a simple photograph of waves beating against the shore and you’ll be amazed by their responses. Some will recall memories of seaside childhoods; others will visualize sea stories, shipwrecks, mysteries of the deep, and more. Still others will venture into the abstract—the world of simile, metaphor, and personification—perhaps transcribing a bit of themselves.

            Did you ever wonder how  some observers would react to a simple photograph of fish? Here’s how Laura Pastuszek responded to the photograph she took when she taught English in South Korea during the summer of 2008. An adjunct professor at Towson University, Pastuszek currently teaches a course titled “Writing and Communications for Teachers.”      

       Foreign Fish                                                                       

Two strangers from two different sands
Observe the gathering of food
In a foreign land

How beautiful and plentiful the sea must be

Remarks one to the other

The reply is not of glee

It is the raping of oceans

Taking more than necessary

A crime of epic proportions

A culture far removed

Lives to feed its own

Without an invitation for others to approve

           Viewed in isolation, Pastuszek’s  photograph of fish provides ample inspiration for writing. What’s more, when you pair the photo with the poem, you create additional  possibilities for writing. But that’s not all. If you add a relevant quotation, you’ll have generated a combination that’s hard to beat. Here’s an example. “Three quarters of the miseries and misunderstandings in the world would finish if people were to put on the shoes of their adversaries and understand their points of view.” —Mahatma Ghandi

Inspiration from the Masters

           Of course, images other than photographs can offer many possibilities for stimulating creativity and inspiring writing. A teacher of English, drama, and creative writing at Lake Forest High School in the suburbs of Chicago, Karen Topham has been indulging in her passions for writing and the arts for thirty years. Here’s how she responded to Edvard Munch’s 1893 painting, The Scream.

       Scream (after Munch)

  

what rawness then

what orange blue intensity

what whirling winding nightmare

infests your soul

when like a man possessed

you turn your back on

the sweetness of the day—

the harbor rich with spreading sails

the sunset rolling waves across the sky—

and staring into empty space

or at some demon gnawing at your mind

you lift your hands to your face

hold tightly to your melting

frameless form

and wait to hear

the heavens

when they scream

            Munch’s painting and Topham’s poem provide another example of the power of images to trigger creative responses. As always, if you add a relevant quotation, you’ll create even more possibilities. In this example, you could cite these lines by Jean-Paul Sartre. “Anything, anything would be better than this agony of mind, this creeping pain that gnaws and fumbles and caresses one and never hurts quite enough.”

          Whether you’re seeking inspiration for your own writing, teaching students at any level, or conducting workshops or seminars for others, you’ll find that photographs and other images are powerful aids to eliciting creative responses and inspiring writing. And when you add relevant quotations, you’ll be delighted by the results.

Foreign Fish and Scream originally appeared in Reflect and Write: 300 Poems and Photographs to Inspire Writing by Hank Kellner and Elizabeth Guy (Prufrock Press, 2013). Now more than ever we must take advantage of the power of graphic images to help inspire writing.  Taken together, the more than 300 poems, photographs, and quotations included in this book will help stimulate creative ideas that will evoke meaningful writing not only by students in grades 7-12 and up, but also by writers of all ages. See sample pages, read reviews, and buy now at http://www.prufrock.com/Reflect-and-Write-P1752.aspx.

 What People Are Saying about Reflect and Write

“I love this book! Reflect and Write is a must have.”                                                                         

“This book should be a staple in every classroom in the country.”

 “Highly recommended for anyone interested in helping young writers create many different kinds of writing.”

 “In my opinion, the CD alone is worth more than the cost of the book.”                                                       

“Reflect and Write belongs on every English teacher’s desk."

                                                                       

 

 Prufrock Press to Publish Unique Poetry-Photo Combination

Scheduled for publication early next year, Reflect & Write: 200 Poems and Photographs to Inspire Writing is a unique combination of poetry and photos that is sure to be a welcome addition to every English teacher's collection.
      This upcoming  anthology contains works created by twenty-six high school and junior high school students, twenty-three teachers, and twelve other writers nationwide.
      In addition to the poems and photos, Reflect & Write contains a Foreword by Joe Milner, Ph.D., Professor of English Education, Wake Forest University; an Introduction; “Twelve Ways To Inspire Students;”  “Thirteen Themes to Explore;” and a listing of twenty Internet resources of interest to students and teachers. What’s more, many of the poem/photo combinations present “Inspiration” or “Challenge” prompts, significant quotations, and keywords designed to inspire writing.

          Although the official publication date of this outstanding publication isn't until February 1, 2013, I'm sure it will be available for sale some time before then. I'll  publish that information as soon as it becomes available, but if you'd like me to inform you personally, please send me your e-mail address by entering it into the Comments section of this blog with the words Reflect and Write.
            For more information visit www.prufrock.com/reflect-and-write-p1752.aspx
           

Another Excellent Publication from Prufrock Press

       Write What You See: 99 Photos To Inspire Writing by Hank Kellner is now marketed by Prufrock Press. Please visit http://www.prufrock.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=1641 now to order this fine book. This thought-provoking collection contains intriguing photographs and a wide variety of inventive writing prompts to motivate students to write better compositions. Thousands of teachers have used this unique publication to help inspire their students.     

      Written by a veteran of the Korean War and retired educator who has served as an English Department supervisor and adjunct associate professor of English at the community college level, Write What you See includes a CD-Rom and a special section telling how teachers nationwide use photos to inspire writing. 118 pages, 8 1/2 X 11, Softbound, ISBN 978-1-877673-83-2, Grades 7-12, $24.95

Copyright,  Hank Kellner, 2012

A New Collection of Poetry and Photographs

Prufrock Press To Publish Unique Collection of Poetry and Photos

Prufrock Press is known as "The Nation's Leading Resource for Special Needs, Gifted, and Advanced Learners." You can visit this fine publishing house at www.prufrock.com. Elizabeth Guy and I are proud to announce that Prufrock has selected our latest work, Reflect and Write: 270 Poems and Photographs to Inspire Writing, for publication in February, 2013.
       Here's what  Joe Milner, Ph.D., Director of English Education, Wake Forest University, wrote in his introduction to the work. "This arrangement of poignant poems, vital pictures, and compelling quotations from such literary giants as Voltaire, Wordsworth,  Smith, and others is so beautifully crafted that I hesitate to write an introduction to the work."
       Contributed by twenty-three students, twenty-three teachers, and thirteen other writers and photographers nationwide, Reflect and Write weds original poems to beautiful photographs that are sure to inspire not only spirited class discussion, but also interesting and exciting written works. What's more, significant quotations and keywords accompany each of the poems.
     

A Sample from Reflect and Write

"Only in quiet waters do things mirror themselves undisturbed. Only in a quiet mind is adequate perception of the world."
                                                                            -Hans Margolius

 

reflections on the water's surface

A pebble

seen through the water's eyes,

disfigured,

its image rippling.

A toss,

a silent splash.

Something so powerless,

small,

makes such a big impact.

Its image,

crafted on the water's surface, 

a movement in the still water,

shattering the cool surface of the shimmering lake.

You wave,

And your reflection waves back.

This person you see in the rippling water is

Distorted.

Changed.

                                -Sarah Marlin

 Keywords

 IMAGE, REFLECTIONS, DISTORTION, SHIMMER

     Sarah Marlin was a thirteen-year-old student in Tinmah Steinman's class at  Park Day School in Oakland, California when she wrote "reflections on the water's surface."

Another Excellent Publication from Prufrock Press

       Write What You See: 99 Photos To Inspire Writing by Hank Kellner is now marketed by Prufrock Press. Please visit http://www.prufrock.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=1641 now to order this fine book. This thought-provoking collection contains intriguing photographs and a wide variety of inventive writing prompts to motivate students to write better compositions. Thousands of teachers have used this unique publication to help inspire their students.     

      Written by a veteran of the Korean War and retired educator who has served as an English Department supervisor and adjunct associate professor of English at the community college level, Write What you See includes a CD-Rom and a special section telling how teachers nationwide use photos to inspire writing. 118 pages, 8 1/2 X 11, Softbound, ISBN 978-1-877673-83-2, Grades 7-12, $24.95

Copyright,  Hank Kellner, 2012

Use Images To Inspire Writing

There's probably no end to the number of ideas  you can inspire in your students by using signs as writing prompts, or triggers.
     For example, you can ask your students to respond to specific words found in signs similar to the two shown here.

     Ask your students what comes to mind when they think of the words caution, gates, walk, weapons, concealed, and/or prohibited. Then encourage your budding authors to use the ideas they generated as a basis for written compositions.
     Another interesting activity would be to combine several words to form  sentences that would serve as the opening lines of  written compositions. Students will enjoy writing conclusions to sentences like  "I knew that if I were to walk under the gates, I'd regret doing so. Even so, I..." or "Although he was carrying concealed weapons, John thought that he could get past the security point, but..."
        Of course, you can always download the images shown here to use in your classroom, but you can also ask the students to create their own images.
       In today's society almost everyone  has the ability to capture digital images of every description. Your students are no exception. And the best part is that they  can easily share these images with their peers, either in the classroom or on Facebook.
       Finally, if you've used photos to inspire writing, and if you'd like to share your ideas with others, I'd love to hear from you.
 

PRUFROCK PRESS AND WRITE WHAT YOU SEE 

      Published by Cottonwood Press in 2009, Write What You See: 99 Photos To Inspire Writing by Hank Kellner is now marketed by Prufrock Press. Please visit http://www.prufrock.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=1641 now to order this fine book. This thought-provoking collection contains photographs and a wide variety of inventive writing prompts to motivate students.

     Written by a veteran of the Korean War and retired educator who has served as an English Department supervisor and adjunct associate professor of English at the community college level, Write What you See includes a CD-Rom and a special section telling how teachers nationwide use photos to inspire writing. 118 pages, 8 1/2 X 11, Softbound, ISBN 978-1-877673-83-2, Grades 7-12, $24.95

Copyright 2012 by Hank Kellner

We Have a Winner!

It wasn't easy, but we were finally able to select the winner of our Great American Reflections Photo Contest. A student in Timnah Steinman's class at the Park Day School Oakland, California, thirteen-year-old Sarah Marlin walked off with the honors for her poem, "Reflections on the Water's Surface."

     Consisting of just twenty lines, the poem describes the image created when a pebble disturbs the surface of the water. "You wave," she writes, "and your reflection waves back./ The person you see in the water is/Distorted/Changed."

     We've amended the working title of our manuscript to reflect the title of Sarah's poem, and we've placed the poem on the first page of the work, which will be published by PRUFROCK PRESS.

     We won't be publishing Sarah's poem here until the book sees the light of day, but we have included the photo that accompanies it. Perhaps the photo will inspire your students to create their own works of poetry or prose.

Don't Be a Bully!

I don't think you'll ever find a sign identical to the one shown here. That's because after I photographed the "Do Not Enter" sign, I used  Arc Soft Photo Studio to add the words BULLYING ZONE to the image.

      I think that the possibilities for using this image to inspire writing in your classroom are almost limitless. That's because it's almost a sure thing that one or more of your students either is or has been harassed by a bully.

     Here's a suggestion. Download the photo and use it as a trigger to inspire your students to express their feelings about bullying in writing, either as  poetry or prose. Point out that their writings will be voluntary and anonymous, and that they may not use names in their compositions. You'll probably be surprised at some of the responses your receive. Obviously, you won't assign a grade for this activity.

PRUFROCK PRESS AND WRITE WHAT YOU SEE 

      Published by Cottonwood Press in 2009, Write What You See: 99 Photos To Inspire Writing by Hank Kellner is now marketed by Prufrock Press. Please visit http://www.prufrock.com/productdetails.cfm?PC=1641 now to order this fine book. This thought-provoking collection contains photographs and a wide variety of inventive writing prompts to motivate students.

     Written by a veteran of the Korean War and retired educator who has served as an English Department supervisor and adjunct associate professor of English at the community college level, Write What you See includes a CD-Rom and a special section telling how teachers nationwide use photos to inspire writing. 118 pages, 8 1/2 X 11, Softbound, ISBN 978-1-877673-83-2, Grades 7-12, $24.95

Copyright © 2012 Hank Kellner