Ekphrasis is from Greek meaning the description of a work of art as a rhetorical device. That's actually pretty straight forward, but another way to look at it, is it's highfalutin fan fiction, usually about paintings or pieces of music, but it can be about virtually anything. Look at or listen to the following piece of art and write a piece of prose or poetry that is inspired by some aspect of it.
Today's artwork is...
Dean Potter traversing a high line in Yosemite Valley as the moon rises (photo by Bryan Smith).
Whether you write about the metaphoric tightrope walking, you spend some time remembering Dean Potter, the amazing physical artist that recently passed in the same valley where this photo was shot, you imagine a daredevil character and set him up with an astronomer or the grand daughter of an astronaut, or you invent a world filled with the sort of amazing formations that occur in Yosemite Valley where climbing and flying are commonplace, or whatever this photo inspires you to write is completely up to you. Here are some more photos of Yosemite if you want additional geologic stimulation.
